A Girl's Best Friend
by alittlesummerwine
Summary: Another look into the episode Maid of Honor. What was going on in Batman and Wonder Woman's heads? Not necessary to have seen the episode. A definite BMWW twist to the story. The first story in a continuing saga.
1. The Devil Made Me Do It

_The title of this story comes from a line in "Maid of Honor" where Diana says "They really are a girl's best friend," talking about Audrey's diamond earrings helping her beat Colonel Vox. Sorry, it changes point of view a few times…_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

_A Girl's Best Friend, Chapter 1, The Devil Made Me Do It_

Normally, I'm a difficult man to surprise. But when I first caught sight of her across the floor of a crowded party, I couldn't believe my eyes.

What was _she _doing here?

-----

It's not often that I've managed to get a little free time away from the Justice League. So much of my time is spent fighting to keep peace and justice on all fronts of the world. Being Wonder Woman has its distinct advantages and disadvantages and while many people think that being a superhero sounds interesting and exotic, being able to defeat foes, gain national recognition and fame, and so much more, the truth was that I put my body on the line everyday to saw people that I almost never saw. Existence in the Watchtower is rather lonely – I had no city to protect as others do, no time to commingle amidst humanity and enjoys the spoils of battle. Instead, my non-existent free time was spent with other Leaguers, sparring and talking, or by myself in my room, reading classical works and trying to acquaint myself with the Patriarch's World.

I knew that I needed a day or two for myself – some time to get away and to really relax, whether solitarily or in the company of the strangers I found myself protecting and now sharing a world with. No one on the Watchtower took umbrage at my request – the others had found their outlets for relaxation and pleasure and I needed to find my way out of the Watchtower, to spread my wings and to see the world. That was the easy part, realizing that I needed to fly away from my newfound team and venture out by myself, out of the nest and into the fire, as it were.

The more difficult part of my decision was where to go.

I studied numerous brochures and internet websites. The computer terminals in the Watchtower had been wired and I used them in order to search potential sites. For awhile, I had focused on Greece, seeing the modern day equivalent of what I had known so long ago, a different take on Themyscira in some ways. Or I could explore more of America, see the cities that the others protected, like Central City and Metropolis, but I decided that that wasn't far enough away from my comfort zone – I was still in relatively familiar territory. I wanted to get out and see something new, new people, new everything. I eventually decided on Paris – the City of Lights and of Love.

Not that I was looking for either. But I did want to get out into humanity and what better place than one of the liveliest cities in the world? The city lights beckoned and I answered the call, eager to begin my time away and overcome any hesitations that I felt about leaving. Amazons were women of action and I followed suit, acting to become familiar with my new world and to get a little repose.

I left the Watchtower early in the morning and set out for Paris.

-----

She walked in as if she owned the place – tall, strong, and confident. A true Amazon, back straight and head held high.

Of course, most Amazons don't waltz into a high society party wearing a come-hither black dress and a smile to match.

I had come to Paris for work purposes – both Wayne Enterprises and my alter ego had things to take care of for Wayne Enterprises, a large merger with a French banking corporation and yet another excuse to bring Bruce Wayne additional publicity and paparazzi attention. As for Batman, there had been rumors concerning Star Labs and the possibility of the theft of important classified computer technology.

But currently, my mind was on neither of these…

It was squarely on the Amazon Princess currently in need of rescue across the room.

-----

I spent my first hours in Paris exploring the city. Nothing special, simply walking around and taking in the city at my leisure, beholding the beauty and the charm that is Paris.

I only made one stop that day – to purchase an eye-catching black dress perfect for a night out. After all, my wardrobe didn't exactly run to evening wear. And social events required proper dress, I knew at least that much. Some things do not change no matter the era or people – Themyscira had formal events as well.

I headed out that evening uncertain of what this evening would entail, but determined to enjoy myself. The invitation had been a recent one, issued by a French ambassador after a Justice League press conference just yesterday. While hesitant, I hadn't exactly said no to the man, but instead put him off, telling him that I would consider it. From then on, the thought rooted itself into my mind, convincing me to take a chance. All things considered, what better way to get out more than to start out in style?

So, after donning my party dress, I headed out and into a different spotlight than the one I was used to.

-----

She looked so vulnerable, lost in a world that she didn't yet understand – the world of the social elite. The paparazzi and the playboys. I, of course, was slated to fill the role of playboy. Usually, this sort of guise posed no problem. While my outward appearance and actions said playboy, my mind would spend social functions analytically dissecting recent crimes, criminal behavior, and gadget design.

Tonight, all I could think about was her.

From across the room, I noticed the crowd swarm to her. Listening, I could hear the probing questions they threw at her, but the answers seemed slow in coming. Glancing again at her face, I could see bemusement and perhaps even the onset of panic highlighting her beautiful features. Uncharacteristically, I felt the need to, well, rescue her. 'She's a valued teammate,' I told myself. 'She can most certainly handle herself.' Even as I was telling myself that she was more than capable, I found myself striding across the room – a Knight in faithful service to his Princess.

"May I have this dance?"

-----

I have to admit, I didn't expect instant recognition from the Parisian society crowd. I had expected to mingle, really get an opportunity to talk with the world I now found myself protecting. Looking back, I suppose my wide silver bracelets were a bit of a giveaway to my identity.

I heard the instant rise of murmurs and whispers as I made my entrance. I stopped a few feet into the room, hoping to get my bearings and decide how to approach the teeming mass of formal society around me. Instead, my pause seemed to invite everyone over to me – all full of questions I was ill-prepared to answer.

Suddenly, in the midst of the interrogation, I heard a rich baritone voice asking me for a dance.

Great Hera! "Yes!" I answered quickly, anxious to escape the teeming crowd of would-be questioners. Following my savior, I noted his broad back inside the well-fitting black tux, a perfect match to his onyx hair. He spun me onto the dance floor and I couldn't help but admire the grace and fluidity of the movement. Something in the back of my mind niggled at me – there was something familiar about him.

He turned and I got my first glimpse of his face –

Wow.

I stared, stunned, and immediately decided to find out more about the man behind this handsome visage.

"Thank you , Mister…"

"Wayne, Bruce Wayne."

_Please review and let me know what you think! Not quite sure where I want to get with this, open to suggestions!_


	2. Man You Don't Meet Everyday

_Disclaimer: I own nothing. As always._

"Wayne, Bruce Wayne."

I felt confident that with my playboy demeanor firmly intact, there wasn't a chance that Diana would recognize me as her formidable, all-confident colleague, the Batman. After all, who suspected the Dark Knight of Gotham to spend his days in an office wearing a suit and tie and his nights (early nights anyway) on the arms of models and high society snobs?

I was essentially a totally different person when donning my Bruce Wayne persona.

It was moments like this that I somewhat enjoyed this necessary part of my deception, simply because I knew that my Justice League colleagues and most of those in the superhero community would never suspect Bruce Wayne of having the alter ego Batman. Thus, I didn't have to rely on intimidation and mechanical prowess to impress others and I was freer in my actions. Of course, my actions still had to be those of an airhead billionaire playboy, but I was free from the constant need to work harder, to push myself harder, to be the vengeance, to be the night. And since this evening, I knew exactly where I was headed once I made my exit as Bruce Wayne and emerged as Batman, albeit in Paris, tonight, I could have a little, well, fun with this part of the Bruce Wayne lifestyle. Maybe even flirt with a teammate, knowing that she'd never suspect that the man in whose arms she was currently waltzing was also the man behind the cowl, the man behind the greatest "urban legend" that Gotham has ever known.

With my secret safely concealed, I could forget for a few minutes about the gadgets, the criminal behavior, and even the recent crimes and steal a few minutes to just be Bruce. Bruce, waltzing a Princess…

-----

I looked into that handsome face and felt my heart melt, just a little bit. His chiseled jaw indicated great strength and again, something about him seemed very familiar to me. But that was impossible. All the men that I knew were superheroes, not exactly the most social of creatures. Of course, some of them were very social, like the Flash, but this man did not have the aura of Flash around him – the build for that matter.

I decided to put away my thoughts and simply enjoy spending the moment in the strong arms of a handsome, confident man. Hera, he was an impressive figure.

"I appreciate the rescue," I told him smoothly, trying my hand at some very subtle flirting. I had seen other women flirting and enjoying the company of men and I wanted to try my hand at the same. Many of them were so bold though, so audacious and I simply did not have it in me to practically throw myself at Mr. Wayne.

It was true though, I did appreciate the rescue. I was ill-prepared for the paparazzi and the social hangers-on and, although any distraction would have been welcome, dancing was something that I had always enjoyed in my classes in Themyscira. After all, dancing has been a part of celebrations and festivals for thousands of years and we Amazons thrive on upholding the Greek traditions and customs. Except for ones involving men, of course.

-----

It wasn't often a man got to rescue a Princess. Especially a Princess he often worked with side-by-side and who didn't know his identity outside the Batman.

I often have to make my way into the world outside that of the superhero – to make money, to protect my identity, and to keep my fingers firmly on the pulse of Gotham, and tonight, Paris. But it wasn't too often that I had seen others in the Justice League in society. Other than Clark, who I occasionally saw at a media event or press junket, the other members were more reserved in their outside demeanors. Of course, everyone is reserved socially compared to Bruce Wayne. But I didn't offhand recall Diana leaving the sanctity of the Watchtower previously for social interaction, or for anything else, for that matter. And if I didn't remember it, of course, it hadn't happened. I kept too close an eye on the Watchtower activities not to know about the comings and goings of the group and this was the first time Diana had ventured outside its walls.

I decided to probe a little, albeit in a Bruce Wayne type of manner.

"I'm surprised to see you here. From what I've heard, this isn't really your sort of affair."

She looked at me with a hint of a smile both in her eyes and lurking at the corners of her mouth. I had trouble keeping my attention on the conversation, but I was determined to hear the answer so I pulled myself away from all thoughts of Diana's mouth, relying on a little song that I had used lately to help defeat Dr. Destiny. _Frere Jacques, Frere Jacques…_

Ah, now, she was saying?

"I've decided to get out more. Have a little fun."

Fun? My throat constricted at the thought. What kind of fun was she talking about…?

-----

Certainly, the purpose behind this little endeavor outside of the Watchtower was to get out into humanity and see how the non-superhero community lived. Or, in this case, socially interacted, or, well, partied.

Initially, I wasn't sure that I was all that interested in the fun aspect of it. Well, at least, I hadn't entirely expected to have any fun, so I told myself that I wasn't interested in it.

Yet, here I was on a Parisian dance floor looking into the dark eyes of a handsome man interested in a conversation with me. Certainly more fun than I had ever expected to have.

If only I could figure out why he seemed so familiar. I decided to put my Amazonian logic skills to use and see if, in fact, I did know my dancing partner. I closed my eyes for a moment to picture each of my teammates – obviously a few could be eliminated immediately – including the Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkgirl. I already knew Superman's face and while he could certainly be described as handsome, in my eyes, he couldn't compare and certainly didn't resemble the gorgeous male in front of me. J'onn?

'Sorry, Princess, I'm on the Watchtower," I heard the Martian answer my unspoken question. Princess? Wait, J'onn never calls me Princess…

Batman!

-----

"Enjoying yourself so far?" I asked her with, hopefully, a hint of a smirk on my face, as my throat tightened as I pictured Diana dancing in the arms of another man, a perfect stranger. Of course, as far as Diana knew, I was a perfect stranger. Here, I was Bruce Wayne, not Batman. I was a Parisian social butterfly, not a legend of the night and darkness.

I wasn't entirely sure why I had asked the question, but I suppose that it was part of the playboy persona. How could she not enjoy dancing in the arms of Bruce Wayne, a confident and sophisticated man? If Batman had asked her to dance, she probably would have run out away, either laughing hysterically or fleeing in terror.

She looked so beautiful tonight. I really didn't want to think about the fun she wanted to have or the fact that she could be in someone else's arms. Instead, she was in mine and I was determined to keep her there, unless until the end of the dance. Then perhaps I could get to know another Diana, a Diana outside of work. After all, she and I often paired together on missions – I trusted her more than anyone else on the team. I wasn't never entirely sure of why, but I felt uncomfortable looking into the reasoning behind it. I knew she was meta, that she had amazing abilities, but I also knew that she was genuinely a good person who had left Thermyscira in order to help mankind, an endeavor she did not have to undertake. I knew that she had a warrior spirit, but she was also someone's little girl and watching her walk away from Themyscira and from her mother was one of the most difficult things I've ever had to endure.

But she had walked into the room tonight with her warrior spirit intact, just as she left Themyscira – with her head held high and how could I not respect and admire that?

This was Diana. I'm sure that she meant fun only in the most innocuous of terms. I felt my throat easing at the thought.

I watched, again staring at her mouth, as she answered my question, and felt my entire body tighten with pleasure-

"More than I expected.."

_Please review and let me know what you think! The reviews from the first chapter certainly bolstered my confidence - thanks to all of you! I appreciate it. _


	3. I Know My Love

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Still.

"More than I expected," I replied.

And certainly, now that I knew who in fact my dancing partner was, the evening had taken on a new tenor. One of anticipation. Indeed, the evening now seemed limitless in terms of fun and excitement. I, of course, was careful to keep my facial emotions firmly in check. I didn't want the infamous Batman to realize that I was now aware of his other identity. He would immediately vanish out of the room and avoid me entirely.

At the same time, I knew that my eyes were sparkling with anticipation. What girl's wouldn't be? I was dancing with Batman! And he was most certainly flirting with me. And not in that obnoxiously lecherous way that so many others tried. I had long ago noticed the ogling and leers directed my way, but I wondered why any woman would consider that attractive? My heart still beat as a warrior and I wanted a man who would be an equal in spirit and action.

On my arrival to Man's World, my feelings toward men could have been described as apathy or complete disinterest. I had looked towards my sister, Hawkgirl, for guidance. I soon realized that Hawkgirl not only had very different philosophies and principles than I myself did, but she also sincerely appreciated men.

So I began to truly look around me, truly look at the five men surrounding. After all, they were heroes. They were the epitome of those who believed in goodness and justice and believed that they should stand up and fight for these things.

Superman was well-endowed with different strengths – a powerhouse of might, heat vision, and the ability to withstand bullets and other weaponry, among other things, of course. Yet Superman always tried pacificism as a first resort, downplaying his strength for peace.

J'onn J'onzz was a truly caring individual, one who cared deeply for home and hearth. The goddess Hestia would understand this man's motivations. On Mars, he safeguarded the parasites who tried to attack Earth, put himself at great risk to warn Earth, and first brought the Justice League as a team.

While I learned to admire Green Lantern, I did not always like him. He was a very hard man for me to understand – methodical, reasonable, and a reliable teammate. I quickly learned that his work ethic was extremely important to him and that he always put the safety and protection of others ahead of his personal obligations. He used his power ring, his source of clout, in order to see to the security of Earth and all those in need. I could admire that.

The Flash was almost the lovable little brother of the team from the beginning. Of course, never having a brother, it took me awhile to understand the relationship and to realize that flirting with me, for the Flash, is utterly harmless. His sense of humor quickly endeared him to me and his positive, upbeat attitude was always refreshing. Especially in comparison with…

Batman.

I quickly decided to refocus on the conversation…

"How about you? What brings you to the City of Lights?"

----

The City of Lights? Oh, yes, I was dancing with Diana in the middle of Paris, and not Gotham, my typical stomping grounds.

Again, I thought to myself that Diana looked absolutely beautiful. Her eyes seemed to sparkle more tonight than I had ever seen before. The lights, I told myself, it must be the lighting system in this sector of the dance floor.

But, I tortured myself mercilessly, maybe it was for me.

Don't even think about it, I told myself. Concentrate on something else. Unfortunately, with the vision of Diana in that come-hither black dress in front of me, it was hard to concentrate on something other than the woman in my arms.

Play it safe, I told myself, and remember that you are Bruce Wayne.

"I never miss a good party," I told her suavely. And this party was certainly turning out different than the usual social gathering filled with stuffed shirts, country club attendees, and pretty little brainless things all with varying purposes on their minds. Some preferred getting a little alcohol to go with their evening entertainment, some wanted a warm body for the night, and others want to push their so-called hidden agendas on everyone in sight. This, of course, is why I have to entertain myself with thoughts of criminals, crimes, and technology. So I don't simply disappear into vapidity.

But tonight, the atmosphere was different. The party was different. I was a little different – less brainless and more speechless.

Although suddenly I felt a little brainless – a good party? That's what I had said? I wanted to subtly impress Diana, not leave her wondering why she's dancing with a mindless gigolo incapable of anything other than dancing. I may not typically care what anyone thinks of Bruce Wayne, but I wanted to leave Diana with a positive impression.

"I may also have to attend to some business while I'm in town."

----

Business? Batman business or Bruce Wayne business? If it were Batman business, I would have been informed…

Suddenly, I realized who exactly I was conversing with. Batman was perfectly capable, and the most likely candidate, to go off to conduct an investigation or engage a foe in battle without letting anyone in the Justice League know his whereabouts or his intentions. That was why he had taken on a part-time membership in the league – to know our whereabouts and intentions without actually being required to rely on the others.

Although currently, his status in the League was practically that of a full-time member. He had accompanied us on several missions since the foundation of the League and never hesitated to give us his opinion, unsolicited advice, or expertise, whether mechanical or on the field of battle.

His courageousness was one of the first things that brought him to my attention. When he was captured by the parasites intent on invading Earth, he had acted as a true warrior – unafraid to fight or to fall in battle. Others outside the League might see Batman as the weak link of the group, but the man could give lessons in bravery, determination, intelligence, and in using the combination of those things to become a formidable opponent.

After the establishment of the League, I had approached Batman about training together – an opportunity to learn the skills of the other and to better each of our skills. I believe that he viewed the prospect with relish. Sometimes it can be hard to tell, but I think I have a fairly good read on the man by now.

The Batman was defined by his warrior spirit and he exemplified a dedicated warrior. He worked ceaselessly in order to combat what he viewed as his own weaknesses and his brain seemed to also be in a constant state of motion – analyzing, cataloging, and sorting through facts for truth with a determination that even Apollo, the god of truth, could not help but admire.

And soon, I, who had not had any interest in men when I first came to Man's World, began to experience a fascination with one. I respected the man inside the mask for his warrior spirit, his heart, and his numerous abilities.

Here, truly, was a man who would be an equal in spirit and action.

I had never been interested in a man before and that realization had sent me into a tailspin for days, unable to fight my growing attraction but having some difficulty reconciling it with my Amazon teachings.

I came to realize that men, just as women, had each been created differently with individual personalities and interests. Some of my fellow Amazons were very different from myself, but they were still a part of my sisterhood. Now that sisterhood was expanding to include many brothers. And, of course, I was not experiencing feelings for just any man, but for a warrior, a man of mettle and many positive attributes that the Amazons have a high regard for.

But, piercing through the cowl and the armor of the Batman had thus far proved difficult. I had little practice in flirting and in letting a man know of my interest. I preferred action, but thus far, I had been unable to drum up the courage to act. I was unsure of myself in this particular arena. Here, I had no silver bracelets to shield myself and to block the possibility of hurt. I had only myself and this man made me feel vulnerable, an almost impossible feat.

Suddenly, I was aware of a commotion on the opposite side of the dance floor, over by the champagne punch bowl. I looked up to see armed men plummeting down ropes towards the floor. They landed and moved quickly towards a petite blond woman, yelling "Freedom for Kasnia!"

----

Kasnia. My brain swiftly searched for information and landed on the International Space Station. I had heard rumors of unrest within Kasnia due to their part in the station and realized that the blond the armed men were intent on was the Kasnian Princess, Audrey. I became conscious that the situation was rapidly turning very volatile and that a kidnapping would occur if my alter ego didn't make an appearance soon.

My mind managed, finally, to begin to tune out the woman I was dancing with.

"Excuse me," I muttered, pulling on my tie, and rushing off to find a clandestine place to change my costume. I thought that I heard her saying something as well, but my mind was already occupied with the ramifications of the scene in front of me.

I had taken two steps when I grasped the fact that Diana already had the situation well in hand – and that her appearance wasn't a secret that she had to hide from the world. While I had to run off to change, Diana was able to step in and take charge of the situation in her own way.

I turned on my heel and stopped, interested to see how Diana would handle the armed Kasnian freedom fighters. The first thing that I noticed was that her dress was suddenly much shorter. And much as I appreciate her normal costume, there is something to be said for a formal Diana unexpectedly turning on the warrior side of herself and letting it take over.

There's also something to be said for those legs. As Bruce Wayne, I'm allowed to appreciate more than just her technique.

It wasn't often that I got to just stand back and watch Diana in action, but I admit, the sight is an amazing one. The free-flowing black hair, the fiery spirit flashing in her eyes, and again, those legs, is not something easily forgotten. I had to act casual though, and not as if the Batman inside of me was clamoring to be released and join in the fight. I wondered over to the snack table and calmly grabbed a hors d'oeuvre, munching while I enjoyed Diana in combat.

She certainly has a style that is best observed, and enjoyed, in person.

I looked around at the shell-shocked observers, partygoers never expecting a kidnapping attempt to take place at their well-ordered party, and realized that the best time for an easy escape was now. I would have to forgo the pleasure of more time with Diana in order to commence my surreptitious observations on Star Labs.

But perhaps out paths would cross again on this trip…

_That's all for this chapter! Hope that you enjoyed it and I'll work on getting another chapter up soon!_


	4. When I Was Single

_Disclaimer: I own nothing. Still. Sorry, this chapter is a little shorter._

_By the way, in case anyone was wondering, the chapter titles are currently from songs - a DC Irish band called 40 Thieves. Love 'em!_

After taking down the Kasnian freedom fighters, I surreptitiously looked around, trying to determine if Bruce was still somewhere to be found in the ballroom. I couldn't hide my disappointment when I failed to locate him. He wasn't even lurking in the shadows as he often did. He was nowhere to be found.

Apparently my golden opportunity to divine more about the Bruce Wayne side of Batman had passed. Instead, I found myself alone outside the party, staring off into the night sky. I was a little tired, lonely, and edging my way towards miserable when I heard Princess Audrey's voice approaching me from behind. She praised me for rescuing her, but when I tried to question her about what could have precipitated tonight's events, she blew off my questions, preferring to focus instead on her social activities for the evening.

I watched as one of her bodyguards handed her a cell phone and I realized that the other participant in the cellular conversation was her father, clearly worried for her safety. Then I heard myself getting dragooned into acting as another safety precaution for the Princess. She threw me a puppy dog look, obviously pleading with me to second her entreaty to her father. I gave her a somewhat exasperated look, but realizing that my previous plans had obviously been altered, I felt my face relax into a smile.

We continued our conversation and although I had thought that Audrey would want to help me discover the truth behind her attempted kidnapping, she instead wanted to party and spend the evening "clubbing," as she called it. I became conscious of the fact that I would never be able to convince her of the gravity of the situation. But, I had wanted to have a little fun amongst humanity this evening. Why not spend a little time with Audrey?

----

After vacating the Parisian ballroom floor, I retreated back to my penthouse hotel room. I quickly showered and changed into my "evening" apparel.

I was disappointed by the turn of events that night, but my heart and hopes were still buoyed by the sparkle I had witnessed in Diana's eyes during our dance. Perhaps the chemistry I had often felt, and ignored, while working with her was also present in Diana. It was certainly something for my brain to dissect, although certainly I had no intentions of acting on the potential mutual chemistry. My actions that evening may have been impulsive, but I was determined to keep our relationship innocent and pure, teammates only. Of course, that didn't mean I couldn't think about the possibility of more...

But that was a thought for later. Now was the time for work.

I slipped silently out the balcony doors and made my way swiftly across the Parisian skyline to the Star Labs facility.

I arrived in time to see three masked bandits intent on escaping the lab with their bounty. Stepping quickly into a crater like hole on the side of the building, I made my dramatic entrance to the scene. I had learned early in my training that nothing instills fear like a well-timed, melodramatic entrance.

Unleashing my batarang, I swiftly proceeded across the room, taking stock of the situation while also utilizing an early opportunity to provide myself with a strong grapple hold and letting loose a series of small pellet bombs upon my hapless foes.

Almost immediately, amidst the smoke, one of the thieves took aim and dismantled the metal catwalk my grapple was attached to, leaving the structure plummeting towards one of his cohorts lying prone on the floor. Swooping down, I took hold of the unconscious figure and landed safely away form the bridge debris. While checking the thief for vital signs, I noticed he was beginning to rouse. I discovered the others had escaped, so I decided to play detective, Batman style.

----

I'll admit that my evening excursions with Princess Audrey of Kasnia turned out to be more fun than I would have thought. It was a delight to spend time with another woman in a purely social atmosphere. No having to worry that some foe would come out of the woodwork and begin wrecking havoc on the crowd and any and all surroundings. It was also nice to spend time with a woman with whom I did not work, one not out to be a hero or anything more than what she was - a fun-loving party girl. I realized over the course of the evening that my upbringing had been somewhat restrictive. Throughout my life, I had had to observe both royal and Amazonian protocols, always feeling the need to prove that I was worthy of the title of Princess.

Audrey, on the other hand, used her royal title in order to gain status and social privileges, to earn popularity and her own interesting idea of prestige. It was almost impossible not to relax around her – she was completely irrepressible. She reminded me of Flash and I responded to her in that vein, almost as if she were a younger sister.

When she showed me her "party favors," it was all I could do to keep from laughing. The entire scenario was so completely like something the Flash would do.

And she certainly knew how to get around in the social side of humanity. The whole evening was almost surreal – the dancing, the laughter, the lights, and the utter enjoyment of it all. The burden of being a hero can be heavy and I felt it lighten a little that night.

Of course, I was always aware that in the back of my mind lurked a chiseled jaw, dark eyes, and a cowl. I couldn't seem to help myself. I was still trying to reconcile the two men in my mind when, after Audrey decided to end our time together, I returned to my hotel room anxious to slip between the sheets and get some sleep.

_Thanks for all of the reviews – hope that you all still love it! I'm certainly having fun writing it. And I'm working on the next chapter, the scene in the hotel room, so if anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!_


	5. Lady in Red

_Thanks for the continued support! Thank you, Chris De Burgh, for the Chapter Title! _

__

_A Girl's Best Friend, Chapter 5, Lady in Red _

After I concluded my investigation at Star Labs, I was feeling unusually restless. I couldn't quite put my finger on how the Kasnian Officers were planning to use the equipment they'd made away with. Although interrogating the fallen burglar had proved somewhat successful, I had come away from the cross-examination missing several pieces of important information. Was this theft sanctioned by the Kasnian government or had the agents gone rogue? What specific purpose did thieves plan to execute with the weapons technology?

I was determined to find the answers and I did know someone with a fairly recent Kasnian connection – Diana.

After discovering her in Paris, I had asked J'onn to keep tabs on her, in case anything significant came up, like an underground member of the attempted kidnapping on Princess Audrey deciding to seek revenge against Diana. After all, she had foiled their plot and criminals often decided that seeking revenge was the best course of action. Therefore, it was my responsibility as a fellow teammate to see to her safety and protection. I would do the same for any other teammate. Or so I was determined to convince myself…

J'onn had apprised me of Diana's whereabouts and although I was somewhat surprised that our naïve Princess had spent the evening shopping and club-hopping with the socialite Princess Audrey, at least she was under relative protection and scrutiny. The bodyguards of the Princess of Kasnia were sure to have beefed up their security measures in light of the kidnapping attempt. And Diana wasn't exactly shy about letting men know how much she appreciated their lecherous overtures and suggestive actions.

Luckily, I had kept our earlier dance floor conversation to a lightly flirtatious banter or I myself probably would have been on the receiving end of a furious glare and an angry Amazonian punch. I, however, much preferred my teeth in my face – it helped with the Bruce Wayne playboy image.

Perhaps Diana was one of the keys to solving the puzzle of the intended use of the weapons technology.

As dawn began to light the sky, I asked J'onn to ascertain Diana's hotel coordinates and swiftly made my way across the skyline to her hotel room, confident that I was the last face she expected to see in Paris that night.

--VvV—

Anxious to get a little sleep, I walked into my penthouse hotel room as the sun began to rise and light was filling the room. I could feel a light breeze stirring the air from the open doors leading to the balcony. I had earlier assumed that I would be returning home under my own powers of flight and decided it would simply be easiest to leave an outside entry ajar for an effortless return home.

With a contented smile, I began replaying the night's events over in my head. Unsurprisingly, one man figured prominently in my thoughts and I knew that my dreams that night would be sweet. I slipped off my left shoe, wondering what Batman would think if he saw me now, returning from an evening of lighthearted fun, something he had previously seemed rather incapable of. Now I was forced to revisit what, or who, lay on the other side of Batman. Obviously Bruce Wayne was no stranger to the party scene and could hold his own in the social world. I had been on entire missions with Batman where he said no more than ten words. He was never one to waste a word where none was needed.

But tonight had been another side to the man. A side that actually engaged in public discourse and even went so far as to flirt and dance with Wonder Woman where anyone and everyone could see.

Obviously, I would have to ponder this new side of Batman in more depth later, after a good night's sleep. I removed my other shoe and headed towards my sleeping quarters, lost in thought, when I heard a voice from across the room.

"You're keeping late hours."

--VvV—

While waiting for Diana, I had made myself somewhat comfortable in a chair near one of the windows – it wasn't often that I got to watch the sunrise while relaxing. Usually I was returning from my nightly watch on Gotham or staggering into bed exhausted and praying that I would get a few desperately needed hours of sleep before heading out to my day job.

The surrounds were simple but beautiful, very much like Diana. I couldn't see much of her in the room, but I imagine that an exiled Princess of Themyscira wouldn't have too much luggage to trek around on vacation.

After waiting for an hour or so, I had heard footsteps approaching outside the doorway and although I had wanted to immediately speak to her, once the door way opened, there was no speech left in my mouth, much less blood in my head.

She was a vision in red – bringing to mind things best not thought of while staring at a teammate. The formal full-length black dress had given way to a sexy little red number. Her legs seem to stretch on for miles and even her shoes were seductive, open toed, red, and strappy. Her midnight hair shone in the dawn's breaking light and on her face was the most contented smile I'd ever seen. Diana had always been attractive, but bathed in the morning light, she appeared radiant.

I swallowed, hoping to overcome the need to throw myself at her feet in submission, and placed one of my feet on the opposite knee, hoping the movement would give me strength, or at least give me the look of strength. It worked and I watched as Diana peeled off her shoes, one at a time, and finally regained my ability to speak.

"You're keeping late hours."

I saw her give a surprised look as her eyes darted to where I was sitting. After a moment, her face relaxed and she stared at me with a knowing smile on her face.

--VvV—

I couldn't contain my surprise when I heard the voice appear out of the darkness, although I immediately placed it as belonging to Batman. Somehow, though, I knew that I should not have been surprised. The man prided himself on his dramatic entrances and why I thought I had seen the last of him in Paris, I didn't know.

He looked rather relaxed, sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the room from the door. I knew better than to ask him how he had managed to enter my room or what he was doing there. The first question was a given – not only had I left the balcony doors open, but it was the Batman – and the second I knew would be answered in due time.

I decided instead to enter the conversation with a bit of a verbal barb and put him on his toes. He may have found a way into my room, but that didn't mean that he had an invitation – and I wanted to see how he would handle a little dissent among the ranks.

"You should talk."

After all, everyone knew that the Batman was famous for his late night watches over Gotham City. And if he couldn't take it, then he shouldn't dish it out – that was a phrase I'd heard Flash use once and it seemed to apply to this conversation. Keeping late hours? This was my first real night by myself outside of the League and I hadn't wasted a minute of it. In fact, I had rather enjoyed it.

I playfully put my hands on my hips and gave the cowled figure a cocky smile and a teasing look, "Checking up on me?"

--VvV—

I had often seen Diana arrogantly assured – it was hard sometimes for a Princess not to have complete confidence in her own abilities. She was Wonder Woman after all – the confidence was well-placed.

But this was the first time that I'd seen Diana look cocky. If I hadn't known better, I could almost have sworn that she was teasing me. But teasing the Batman was not something that one did lightly or without trepidation. I could still hear Flash's knees knocking from the last set-down I had given him.

I decided to put her in her place, casually stating, "Not especially."

I reached inside myself for the detached air that the Batman was famous for. I was still convinced that Diana might have some key to the theft of the weapons technology and I was intent on solving that crime, hopefully preventing its use.

"But I have been reading the papers."

The newfound friendship between the two Princesses was likely to be fodder for the paparazzi for days and the kidnapping attempt would certainly draw worldwide media attention as well. Gossip rags were already in love with Princess Audrey and the addition of Wonder Woman out in public and spending social time with the notorious Princess of Kasnia would make headlines and certainly sell millions of copies. Particularly if they had any photos of Diana in that red dress…

I refocused myself in time to see Diana's smug demeanor melt into pure aggravation – something not often seen on the face of the fair Princess – as she looked at me with demand in her eyes.

"Your point?"

"You've been running in rarefied circles." I slowly rose form the chair, determined to make my point and force Diana to understand the seriousness behind my appearance here. Although she was certainly tall, I was still able to tower several inches over Diana, particularly a barefoot Diana. I often used the tactic of leaning over an adversary in order to intimidate them, but I had few hopes of this method working with Diana. Amazons were not easily intimidated.

"I thought you should know – some of those people aren't always what they appear to be."

--VvV—

As if the arrogant man had a right to talk to me about people not being as they appeared to be! By day, the man seemed to be a complete playboy while at night he dons a cape and cowl in order to save Gotham City from itself.

This was yet another take on the naïve, princess-out-of-her-element explanations that I had heard several times before from various members of the team. Very similar to the don't-knock-it-til-you-try-it phrase I had heard from Hawkgirl when Aresia had threatened the men of the planet. I was still acclimating myself to the culture of Man's World and men were something that demanded a period of adjustment for me, coming from a world solely of women. But I felt that I was making great strides in understanding the world outside of Themyscira and I was determined to remain calm – he was right, I was still learning.

I took a relaxing breath and sat down in a blue arm chair by the door of the hotel room. I would air my side of this discussion in a rational, but compelling manner.

"If you're talking about Princess Audrey, she's a sweet girl. Spoiled rotten, but sweet."

There, I had acknowledged that Audrey was not perfect – I was not deceived by her title or distracted by her lighthearted banter. But Audrey was a good person, I was sure of that, and a sweet one besides. She obviously cared for her father and did not want him to worry over her. And she had certainly taken me under her wing that night, taking me shopping and providing me with the opportunity to have a new social experience in Man's World.

I looked over to see Batman giving me a somewhat disbelieving look. I understood his concerns for a teammate's decisions, but it had been I who had spent the evening out with Audrey. It was I who had spent time alongside the girl and those were facts that he could not dispute.

The look faded from his face, replaced by a blank, but serious expression. I thought he was going to continue to argue with me over appearances, but apparently his mind had already shifted into another matter.

"Several hours ago, I captured a burglar, part of a team stealing classified weapons technology from Star Labs. Among other places."

Surprise, surprise. While I had spent the evening having fun with Audrey, the Batman had snuck away from the party in order to try to prevent a theft. While I admired his dedication, I couldn't help but wonder if he ever took the time to have a little fun, to get out among the people he spent so many hours protecting.

I still didn't understand how his last statement was connected to the previous one. What did a theft at Star Labs have to do with Audrey and the rarefied crowd I was supposedly moving in?

"So?" I asked him casually, somewhat surprised that the Batman had taken time away from fighting crime in order to come have a conversation with me. Where did my evening out play into the crimes that his brain was dissecting?

He looked at me, totally pokerfaced, before speaking.

"He's a _Kasnian_ Special Forces Officer," he told me, putting an emphasis on the word Kasnian. I couldn't help the surprise that leapt onto my face. Now I understood why he had come here tonight with questions and worries about my newfound friend. I simply couldn't believe it of Audrey – the girl was incredibly sweet and too spoiled to do anything to harm either her social standing or her source of income. And while she may be spoiled, but she had also been a great friend that evening, guiding me through a social world that I was undoubtedly a newcomer to.

"I don't believe that Audrey would knowingly be involved in anything like that."

He continued to look at me, straight-faced, and I came to a decision. I put my hand on my jaw, thinking before I spoke aloud.

"But it wouldn't hurt to ask her."

After all, certainly there was more going on behind the scenes that I was aware of. Audrey might know something without being conscious of it – and her father was the king of Kasnia. Wouldn't he be in charge of the Special Forces? As I sat, pondering the best way to put forth the question to Audrey, I looked up to see a figure making his way across the early morning sky.

Realizing that I had again lost my opportunity, if ever possible, to delve into the Bruce Wayne side of Batman, I made my way wearily to bed knowing that my dreams this day would be of both a cowled figure with a bat insignia and a handsome man with a chiseled jaw wearing a close-fitting tuxedo.

_Let me know if I'm still headed in the right direction! Chapter 6 is still up in the air, but I'm thinking about where to go with it… _


	6. Smooth Criminal

_Thanks for all the reviews! Sorry this has taken awhile to update – Ernesto took out the power for a day and now our internet at home isn't working! So, in the meantime, extra work!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

_A Girl's Best Friend, Chapter 6, Smooth Criminal_

_Thanks to both Michael Jackson and Alien Arm Farm for the chapter title._

_Still in Diana's perspective._

After a few restless hours spent tossing and turning in my bed, I decided to put both the Batman and Bruce Wayne from my head. Clearly, I was obsessing over the revelation of his true identity and still reeling from this newly acquired information. I decided to put a little perspective on the situation and remember that I was in Paris to enjoy myself, not to fixate on a man, a teammate, and someone I considered a loyal friend. Even if he did have the sexiest lilt to his voice, when he decided to use it…

Focus, Diana! Hera, I truly was obsessing over the man.

My dreams had indeed been filled with visions of caped crusaders and debonair billionaires waltzing me around a Parisian ballroom. At each rotation in the dance, he would change outfits, something garbed in a cape and cowl, and after the next spin, in a tuxedo that most men would kill to look that good in. Yet another of the phrases that I had picked up during my time spent with Flash.

I rose from the bed eager to dispel thoughts of one Bruce Wayne from my head. Well, two Bruce Waynes from my head – one, the man with the mask, and one, the man without. The man was a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in one musical, well-made body.

And I was determined not to think about him. Or at least to change the path of my thoughts for awhile.

I walked to the balcony to take in the fresh air and sunshine, garbed only in a white hotel robe and bare feet. Today my course of action would be to talk to Audrey, to see if I could find out more about what Batman had been talking about earlier that morning. Was Audrey's father involved I something devious, something that Batman had as of yet been unable to determine? Kasnia was a small European nation, but their work on the International Space Station had been crucial and they had earned the respect of many foreign nations with their contributions. I walked back in to my room to prepare for the night ahead of me. I was determined to see if Audrey could shed any light on the mystery of the weapons theft and she had provided me with the opportunity – an invitation to her engagement ball.

-VvV-

I had left Diana's room that morning with my heart pounding and my mind unable to forget the sight of her in that stunning red dress. I had become, after time, accustomed to seeing Diana in battle regalia – her uniform, and she rarely appeared anywhere in anything other than the traditional Wonder Woman garb that the world had come to associate her with. I'll admit, my first sight of Diana in her bustier and boot s had sent my heart racing as well, but since the world had been under attack, I had simply fought the physical attraction and chalked my racing heart up to the possibility of Armageddon. In time, the sight of Diana had merely sent my heard into a slightly above normal pace and I had adapted to that occurrence.

But, oh, the red dress…

After retreating to my hotel room, I had tried to sleep, knowing that my body would need the rest in order to be at my peak skill level. But, nothing had seemed to work, and eventually I had gotten up to pace the room rather restlessly, my mind trying to find the connection between the recent Star Labs thefts and the Kasnian government. There was something that I was missing, some key piece of information, and hopefully Diana would be able to find out something from Princess Audrey.

I searched through my laptop, determined to discover what the truth was behind this theft, but occasionally my mind would find its way back to Diana, standing barefoot with her hands on her hips and a teasing smile on her face. She had proven herself to be an invaluable teammate and therefore, I would never act on the attraction that I felt for her. Admittedly, I wasn't sure if Diana returned the affection, but since her involvement with the League began, she and I had become frequent sparring partners and often partnered for missions as well. We worked well together and I did not want to hurt our friendship, our partnership, or her. My world was often a dark one and I refused to drag someone like Diana down into it. She was light and I was darkness – a practical blending that could work within the confines of a team, but not outside of the Justice League.

She could certainly hold her own in the League - her Amazonian upbringing had been a definite asset to the team, as well as her strength and strength of will. Her intelligence as well – Diana was more than simply a pretty face. I had become aware over time of numerous internet sites devoted to her – fan clubs dedicated to discussing her beauty, her achievements, and whether or not she could best Superman in combat.

I often wondered about that one myself.

I forced my mind away from pondering thought of Diana and instead decided to spend the rest of the evening contemplating the recent burglaries.

-VvV-

After hearing from Audrey that her father had nothing to do with the weapons thefts, I decided to relax and enjoy myself at Audrey's engagement party. I was rather curious about her fiancé – Audrey often mentioned him, but had yet to divulge his name or anything about him other than his more advanced age and his work on the International Space Station. I found the tradition of arranged marriages somewhat archaic and against my Amazon principles of female independence and choice, but Audrey seemed somewhat resigned to the idea and who was I to know what was best for her?

As Audrey led me into the ballroom, I looked around at the celebrations and was somewhat surprised at the very formality of the event. Audrey was a fun-loving person, very vibrant and outgoing – she seemed very at odds with the surroundings. But then I suppose that a royal engagement demanded a formal atmosphere – heads of state and country, politicians of all kinds, and socialites who demanded that their money beget fame and recognition. I was very glad that last night I had let Audrey choose my attire for her engagement ball.

She stopped suddenly, coming up to a dark-haired man with a stately and yet stoic bearing. His head was turned away from us, so I took a moment to study him. For the second time in as many nights, I found myself looking at a dark haired man who seemed somewhat familiar to me. Although this man was certainly no Bruce Wayne. Audrey began to introduce him as her fiancé and he slowly turned ,giving me a glance to his face –

"Vandal Savage!" I burst out, shocked to my toes. Great Hera! Audrey simply could not be engaged to the war criminal that had wrecked such havoc on the Earth in his quest for world domination. I refused to even countenance the idea. The man was a bloodthirsty tyrant and a villain of the worst magnitude. I looked at Audrey in utter disbelief.

"Do you have any idea who he is?" I demanded of her.

"Diana!" she exclaimed, seemingly wanting to chastise me for my curt behavior. I couldn't help it though – Audrey had not seen what this man was capable of, but I had witnessed his behavior firsthand and I knew exactly what kind of man I was facing.

"Vandal Savage is a Nazi war criminal! He was…"

"…my grandfather." I vaguely heard Savage's words over the roaring in my ears.

"What?"

"Vandal Savage III. A pleasure to meet you." He put out his hand to me as if he were actually capable of making a human and friendly gesture. I stared haughtily and refused to shake his hand, shunning the farce being attempted in front of my face. This was Vandal Savage. There was no mistaking that face – the face that had endangered thousands and changed the lives of millions, including one Bruce Wayne and someone I had met on that mission to stop Savage – Steve Trevor.

I had admired and respected Trevor, impressed by his bravery in the face of danger and his utter valor. The man had risked life and limb knowing that each step could be his last, but determined to change the lives of those affected by Vandal Savage. I still held fondness in my heart for Trevor – he had been a brave comrade and a generous man. In many ways, the Dark Knight had that same courage and determination, although to a much greater degree. The Bruce that I knew risked his life on a daily basis to protect and defend, never questioning his decision or motives, and always facing danger without the superpowers the rest of us often took for granted. Bruce was an everyday man and an all the time hero. I wasn't sure if Steve Trevor would have been the same. I remember the kiss that he had bestowed on me – his angel, and I had seen the boldness behind the gesture and the courage it had given him. When I had later returned the gesture, it had been nice – no shooting stars as the Flash would say, but it had given me the dose of daring that I had needed.

If not for men like Vandal Savage, men like Bruce Wayne and Steve Trevor would have no need to risk their lives protecting humanity. Humanity would no longer need protecting and the face of evil, a face like Vandal Savage, would be just another face, as would Bruce and Trevor.

But I knew the face of evil and I was staring at it.

I could hear Audrey chastising me for my rudeness, but I could not help it. I could not simply stand here and make small talk and polite chatter with this monster.

Savage looked at me with what I imagined was supposed to be quiet comprehension – "It's understandable. My grandfather was a very evil man."

"He wasn't a man," I spoke evenly and calmly, knowing my statement to be true. "He was a monster." A monster in action I had seen firsthand.

"I've dedicated my life to doing good works," Savage stated in a subdued tone. "My way of trying to restore my family's lost honor."

I almost snorted in disbelief. He was trying to ply me with lies, but I refused to believe his story.

"The resemblance is uncanny," I told him in a restrained voice, quiet with anger and mistrust.

The evil man had the audacity to smirk at me.

"Our genes are rather…insistent. Excuse me." He kissed Audrey's hand and walked off into the crowd, intent on escaping the conversation. I watched him walk away and determined to follow him at first chance. But first, I had to make my excuses to Audrey. I knew that she wouldn't understand my rudeness, and perhaps I could have handled the situation with more grace, but she did not have knowledge of the Vandal Savage that I knew.

"I'm sorry, Audrey. I didn't mean to insult him." It was true – I didn't mean to insult him, I meant to question him and raise my suspicions with Batman at the first opportunity while concurrently discovering what exactly the evil man was up to at present.

She sent me a piercing look – "Didn't you?"

I felt slightly ashamed of my tactlessness and let it show on my face. After all, Audrey was a newfound friend and this was her engagement ball. She had been excited upon entering the party and now she was ashamed of me and my behavior. Still, I felt vindicated in my actions – I planned to keep an eye on Vandal Savage, especially in light of all the recent going-on. And now was the time to start.

I walked off, trying to look mortified, but my expression quickly cleared to one of intent. I swiftly headed to the last place that I had seen Savage and found him out in one of the side gardens just off the ballroom. The place seemed almost magical – the sounds of the babbling water fountain filled the air and unfortunately, also kept me from eavesdropping on Savage's phone conversation.

I saw him put away his cell phone and immediately spoke up – "How insistent are these genes, Mr. Savage?"

"Meaning?"

"Your grandfather was a munitions maker." And a monster, but I mean tot address one point at a time.

"His bearing very stiff, he looked both amused and bored by the workings of our conversation. Although I hesitated to call it a conversation – it was an interrogation. Maybe not Batman style, but I preferred a little subtlety.

"Ahead of his time, in many ways."

"I hope that doesn't also run in the family."

"It doesn't. Kasnia's main interest is in peaceful exploitation of space." I had witnessed the previous exploitations by Vandal Savage and the word peaceful did not factor into them. They had been bloody and brutal, without concern to human life or anything other than total domination. By Savage, of course.

"I'm not sure I believe you, Mr. Savage."

"I'm not sure I care. What are you saying – that I'm the original Vandal Savage? That I'm over 100 years old?"

Honestly, his age had never occurred to me. The mission had been a fairly recent one, enough for the casualties to be fresh in my mind. I had forgotten about the issued of time and aging – but the utterly identical resemblance still made me question him and his motives. Especially towards Audrey. If this was the same Vandal Savage, Audrey would soon find herself wed to a monster of unimaginable magnitude.

"Whoever you are, I'm not going to let you hurt Audrey."

"Hurt her? I love her!" he exclaimed with a ring of believability. "I've never met a woman who can do the sort of things for me that she can."

Hera! The utter thought was revolting – Audrey and this, this creature…

"I don't want to hear this."

He shot me an exasperated look out of the corner of his eye – "I was talking about making me a member of the royal family."

He looked over to the shadows and I followed his gaze, watching as a strange looking man emerged from the darkness.

"Ah, Colonel Vox. Wonder Woman was just leaving. If you'd be so kind as to escort her out."

I bit out the words – "I can find my own way." I had tired of this conversation anyway – I would see what J'onn could find out about one supposed Vandal Savage III. And maybe find out if Bruce Wayne was still in town attending to "business"…

_That's it for Chapter 5! Sorry that it was so Diana intensive, but this part of the storyline is fairly Diana intensive. And sorry for the mention of Steve Trevor – I wanted to show exactly where he stands in Diana's affections – no sparks, baby! Unlike the man in her dreams…_

_Review!_


	7. Voices Carry

_Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. Certainly not the Justice League, Cartoon Network, DC Comics, or anything else._ _But a girl can hope!_

_Thanks for the support and the reviews! Title from 'Til Tuesday. Gotta love 80's bands. _

_A Girl's Best Friend, Chapter 7, Voices Carry_

_Currently from Batman's perspective…_

I had worked through the afternoon and into the night, breaking only for coffee, anxious to make some progress on determining the reason behind the Star Labs theft and to keep my mind off of Diana. There were a number of reasons why the theft could have occurred, but none boded well for Kasnia or for their role in the International Space Station. The Kasnian government had only become one of the nations interested in the Space Station in recent years – others had been working to implement and construct the Space Station for years, but Kasnian's efforts had been much more recent in comparison, only a few years.

Rumors had also surfaced during my explorations that day about the civil unrest in Kasnia – the people had been somewhat overlooked due to the Kasnian government's work with the Space Station. Unemployment had risen, civilian technological advances had been all but disregarded, and now the government needed something to prove their ultimate worth to the Kasnian people, not just the worldwide political community. Kasnia was a country on the verge of collapse and the International Space Station held part of the blame. But the fate of Kasnia was not foremost on my mind – I had to get to the weapons thieves before they could use the technology for whatever malicious purpose they intended.

Several possibilities had arisen over the course of my investigations that day. Perhaps the Kasnian intended to use the newfound status in the international community for ill purposes. Trying to establish a dominating presence in the world could certainly be gained both by the theft and by their contribution to the Space Station. Kasnia had been integral in the ultimate success of the project and gained power and status due to this achievement.

Or conceivably, the theft could have nothing to do with Kasnia and simply be a coincidence that a Kasnian military man had been part of the group stealing the technology.

But I don't believe in coincidences.

Of course, there was always the old standby reason for theft - someone was framing the Kasnian government, hoping to further incite the unrest or hurt Kasnia's standing in the international community. An underground group could certainly have undertaken the theft, and the Kasnian Special Forces Officer I had interrogated could have been part of such a rebel network. Civil unrest could lead to trouble in all quarters and the military was no exception – they had the training and experience to lead the people into war and an ultimate overthrow of the government.

The Star Labs theft could be connected to any one of these circumstances. But I had learned over the years that the simplest answer was often the best answer. However, at this point, I had no idea what the simplest answer was. Either way, Kasnia was involved in this situation and I intended to find out how. I just needed more time and more information, although as the hours continued to advance, it was only a matter of time until I discovered, alongside the rest of the world, exactly how the weapons technology would be used.

Perhaps I could check…

"Batman? This is Diana. I need you to check something for me."

-VvV-

As I flew away from Vandal Savage, I used my communicator to get in touch with J'onn to see what he could find out about this present incarnation of Savage. I intended to use whatever information I received from J'onn to corroborate with Batman once I returned to my hotel room. When talking things through with someone like the Batman, a brilliantly deductive mind, I had learned if you are to think on one's feet, it was better to actually _be_ on one's feet.

It was also best, when discussing a potentially dangerous subject with Batman, to have as much fact and information at your fingertips as possible. I was not about to enter into such a conversation unarmed.

I deliberately chose a longer flight path in order to clear my head of all possible distractions and to give J'onn time to get me whatever information that he could. I also needed to get any and all thoughts of the attractive Bruce Wayne out of my head. The man was simply too good-looking by half. Blessed by the gods with a muscular physical, gorgeous black hair, and…Oh, Hera! Stop thinking about him!

Focus, I told myself.

As my hotel came into view in the distance, J'onn contacted me, relaying what information he had unearthed. After a brief discussion, he returned to his monitoring duties while I decided to slip back into my uniform. A girl never knew when she would need to be ready for action and a formal black gown simply did not say prepared.

I quickly made the change in apparel and initiated my conversation with Batman.

-VvV-

The Princess needed me? As a faithful Knight, I would certainly try to do whatever I could – as any teammate would do, of course.

"Go ahead," I told her brusquely, trying to brush aside the emotions crowding my throat. It wouldn't do for anyone to discover the Batman had a weakness, not even Diana. Especially not Diana. After all, my weakness was Diana, even if this was the first time I could actually even remotely admit that fact to myself. But admitting it was the first step to getting over it, to working past it so that I could work with her solely as teammates. I had proved time and time again that I could do anything that I put my mind to and I was determined to bypass my emotional weakness for a certain Princess. I had to – my work and therefore, my life, depended on it.

I snapped back to attention as she began to explain what had occurred during her time that evening at Audrey's engagement ball. I knew that she had been planning to attend the event. Bruce Wayne had not received an invitation to the occasion; therefore, any intentions I had of going, even surreptitiously in my everyday persona in order to keep an eye on Diana had been relinquished in favor of keeping a low profile for the evening to delve into the Kasnian connection. Although unlikely, if Diana were to spend too much time with the billionaire Bruce Wayne, she might realize exactly who lurked behind the cowl.

As she described her encounter with the present Vandal Savage, I put aside my concerns about the weapons theft in order to concentrate both on what she was saying and what was appearing on my computer screen as I delved for information on Savage. Search initiated, I concentrated on the sound of Diana's voice. I could hear the wind blowing over the communicator and took a moment to indulge in the picture of Diana, dressed in her Wonder Woman costume, ebony locks being tousled by the wind and the air brushing against the softness of her skin.

"I'm still not sure it's really him," she told me, and I snapped back to attention, my mind beginning to pursue the idea of the origin Vandal Savage still being alive. My teammates had filled me in on their mission back in time to stop Savage and I could only imagine the horror that he was about to unleash on the world if it was indeed the same Vandal Savage. But I preferred not to imagine – I deal in cold, hard facts, and the computer could help me with that information and to corroborate Diana's accounting.

"But if Savage is still alive, the pieces begin to fit." And indeed, if Savage were still alive and about to marry the royal heir of Kasnia, the pieces fit with stunning accuracy. The weapons theft by the Kasnian military officers could still be traced back to Kasnia, albeit to a government connection rather than the head of the state itself.

"I don't know. I had J'onn look up his birth certificate and school records. It looks like it all checks out."

It was moments like this that I realized why the Princess and I worked so well together – she trusted her instincts and hunches and I relied on facts and evidence. She trusted her instincts to tell her that Savage was indeed alive and still evil incarnate and I followed the information trail to see what I could learn about the situation. Each way had its positives and negatives and complemented each other to form a whole picture –black and white and all the shades of gray in between. She, still being new to this world, did not completely understand the availability of technology to forge documents, to create entirely new identities. I, on the other hand, had been following, and using, technological advances for years as both Batman and Bruce Wayne, keeping on the cutting edge of technology.

"Papers can be forged." I had long ago removed my tie, but I was still sitting in front of the computer is a pressed white shirt, part of the training that Alfred had instilled years ago. I rested my head on my hand and continued searching for more information. I did a side-by-side comparison of the Vandal Savage of the 1940's and the Vandal Savage of today and came to the same conclusion as Diana – the resemblance was inconceivable unless they were the same man.

"Well, whether he's our Savage or a sequel, he makes me nervous." The entire puzzle made me nervous – we were still missing too many pieces for comfort or for action.

"He should," I told Diana. For both of us to feel discomfort about an individual meant that that individual was someone to keep an eye on. Both eyes, if possible. I continued talking to Diana, trying to reason out all the pieces of this puzzle – "Look at what we've got so far – a Kasnian operative stealing military secrets, Kasnia spearheading the International Space Station…"

"Good cover to circumvent the weapons embargo they're supposed to be under," Diana interjected. We often engaged in this sort of dissection of a mission, trying to reason out what and who lay at the heart of the matter and work out all the possibilities.

"If that's all Savage is up to, we're lucky." If this was the original Vandal Savage, our luck and our lives would soon change.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the television set flicker and a breaking news flash scrolled across the screen, detailing the location of the news as the principal city of Kasnia.

"Hold on a minute," I told Diana, ready to see what impact the news might have on our puzzle. Turns out that the news was of a serious nature – Audrey's father had suffered a serious stroke.

"Serious and convenient. You get all that, Diana?" I heard silence from the Princess for a moment, then a gust of air that could only be generated by an Amazon flying into action.

"I'm on my way to warn Audrey."

I rose from my computer chair, ready for a little action myself, particularly after spending the day in front of a computer screen.

"Meet you there."

-VvV-

I entered Audrey's suite only to find the room darkened and empty. I wandered around, trying to see if perhaps she was in another room off of the main area.

"Audrey? Audrey, it's Diana." I hoped that she would respond to my voice and emerge, but suddenly, I heard a loud noise from outside Audrey's building. I rushed over to the balcony only to see an aircraft take off from the top of the building. Certain that it was Audrey, I quickly followed in pursuit.

I had been chasing Audrey for several miles before I caught up enough to be able to attempt a rescue. I was certainly Audrey was with Savage in that plane, worried about her father when she should also have been worrying about the man accompanying her.

Unexpectedly, I saw a man wearing a jet pack emerge from the plane heading straight for me. Although I knew that he couldn't see it, I glared at him, battle ready, and determined to bring my friend Audrey to safety, even if it meant bringing this man down. I had recognized the figure of Colonel Vox and knew that Savage had sent his henchman out to greet me. But I was already resolved to give the man a welcome he would remember.

As Vox approached, he let loose, aiming sonic waves at me through his mouth. Unaware of his powers, I narrowly dodged his first scream by flying to my left and began heading at greater speed toward the plane.

Abruptly, I felt Vox grab my head, pulling me towards the Earth and then dragging me along the ground, pressing my face deep into the grass and dirt. However, he had not relied on my strength and I flung my head backwards, butting him in his jaw with the back of my head. I escaped his clutches and began to fly side to side, trying to avoid Vox's sonic waves. I looked back over my right shoulder, trying to get an idea of where the Colonel was in proximity to me, when I was hit by powerful sonic waves from my left. I immediately put my hands to my ears, but I had already begun to plummet towards the ground, and I could feel myself lapsing into unconsciousness as I continued my descent.

_Still like it?_

_Time to exercise a little democracy! I'm not entirely sure where I want to eventually go with this story, so I want some votes! I'll see what everyone says and see if the majority leads me in a specific direction…and then see if I can still make up my mind! So anyway – I have 3 ideas of where to go-_

_1 – End my story more or less exactly where the episode left off – BM & WW walking off arm in arm. Then I'd continue to do a behind the scenes for other episodes that feature each of them (or like Comfort & Joy where they're not featured, but would be fun anyway) But they would just be flirting and taking baby steps into a possible relationship. (Of course, eventually I would make them into a real relationship, how can I not?)_

_2 – Continue this story with a happy ending. BMWW walk off arm in arm and build a relationship, but it's not in context of the other episodes. Just a happy ending._

_3 – BMWW walk off arm in arm and develop a secret relationship within/around the context of the other episodes. At the end, do a little of their future after the final episode of JL_

_What's a girl to do?_


	8. A Little Less Talk, A Lot More Action

_Thanks for the continued support and for all the votes! I'm getting an idea of where I'm headed…we shall see! _

_A Girl's Best Friend, Chapter 8, Little Less Talk & A Lot More Action_

_The credit for this title belongs to Mr. Toby Keith…_

_Disclaimer still applies._

_Back in the perspective of one Dark Knight-_

I had been trailing behind Diana for almost 100 miles when suddenly the blip on the screen that was tracking Wonder Woman stopped. Being miles from the Kasnia border, I immediately knew that Diana must have run into trouble and I tried to reach her on her communicator, but to no avail. Complete silence on the other end. As my pulse began to race, I let the methodical side of my brain take over, controlling all semblance of emotion so that I could focus on the mission and determine Diana's exact location.

Refusing to believe the worst, I kept all emotion at bay, forcing the Batwing to greater speeds as I moved stealthily towards her coordinates. My tracking device showed that I was the only aircraft in the immediate vicinity and quick glimpse out of the windows as I began my descent showed that I was surrounded by acres of farm land with agricultural buildings dotting the landscape. The area was quiet and picturesque, but as the area came into better view, I could see a long track racing across one of the grassy areas, evidence of a scuffle from which Diana had evidently not managed to escape unscathed.

When first boarding the plane, I had looked for additional information on Vandal Savage and found precious little information to substantiate Diana's claim that he was the original Vandal Savage, but the circumstances surrounding the man still demanded further observation. I had, however, in the minutes before Diana had been immobilized, turned up a rather interesting piece of information on the right hand man of Vandal Savage – Colonel Vox. The henchman had a supersonic voice causing sonic waves capable of mass destruction, a rather handy and potentially lethal talent for a man like Savage to have at his disposal.

The evidence around me substantiated my supposition that Diana had suffered a run-in with the Colonel. Having been unaware of Vox's powers, Diana would have certainly been surprised by the extensive strength of his voice. Her impetuousness and courage often landed her in precarious situations, although she was typically more than capable of handling herself and any foe. Colonel Vox must be quite a formidable opponent to be able to take Diana out in a one-on-one encounter.

I set the plane down next to a barn that I had determined was Diana's current location. Not only had the tracking device led me to her, but I had also observed the gaping hole situated in the roof of the barn, evidence of someone having fallen from a great height with great speed.

I prepared myself for the worst as I found the barn latch and mentally steeled myself to the possibility of seeing Diana, broken, bruised, and bloody. Logically, I knew that she was an Amazon and capable of withstanding an intense amount of pain, but I preferred to advance into a situation with a worst-case scenario in mind. While I didn't like surprises, I found it ultimately easier to adjust to a positive surprise if I planned for the possibility of every unpleasant surprise.

I firmly grasped the door and, using a modicum of force, yanked it open, almost prying it off the hinges in my anxiety. No, not anxiety, determination to rescue a downed teammate and establish their physical status in as little time as possible. Moments could save a life and Diana's was one worth saving at all costs.

Walking into the darkness, I say a figure, prone on the floor and unconscious. I rapidly surveyed the surroundings for any potential foes, but determined the area to be safe and moved swiftly towards Diana. I had any number of medical supplies on my person that I had gathered from the plane, but, as I checked for broken bones, dislocations, and other injuries, I couldn't find anything worth immediate medical attention.

I let out a heavy breath of air. She would be sore, that fact I had already concluded, but overall, she appeared to be in excellent health for someone who had plummeted from the sky and through a barn roof only to land on a hard dirt floor. I decided several minutes ago to scope out the area and was several feet away when I heard a soft moan emanating from the prone figure in the star-spangled outfit.

-VvV-

I awoke with a pounding headache, a direct consequence of my free-fall and awkward landing. I blinked rapidly, trying to clear my head and focus my thoughts when a cowled face came directly into view. Although I was never exactly sure of how, somehow, Hera willing, no matter what trouble I'm in, the Dark Knight always comes to my rescue and this time was no exception. Here I was, lying on the floor of a barn on the outskirts of France, and the man has managed to track me down and tend to me.

"Easy," he murmured in a soothing voice very unlike his usual gruffly matter-of-fact tone. He leaned over me, peering deeply into my eyes. I could also feel the unease that emanated from him – as if he was afraid that I would see that he actually possessed some sort of emotion. He blinked and although I could visibly see him trying to reign in his unwanted feelings, he did not quite succeed in the endeavor. The habitually stiff jaw line that shown beneath his cowl looked softer, not in the typical jut of determination and purpose. His voice still low and soft, he murmured, "That was quite a shock you took."

It was that moment that I realized that he could never simply be another teammate to me. The other men in the Justice Leagues were heroes in their own respective manners, but the Batman was my own idea of a hero and a hero to me. He was always there to aid me, to patch up my battered body, and to heal my wounded spirit. I had long ago determined that his pessimism and logic were nothing more than a form of preparedness – a way to control the situations that he could not always control.

Yet, for all the pessimism and supposed lack of emotion, I had seen the man fight death and disaster to rescue an innocent child, seen him take on villain after villain in a never-ending battle to cleanse his city and now his world. His determination to believe the worst always brought out my eternal optimism and our disparity in viewpoints had pulled us together to form almost a partnership, one based on mutual respect and trust. Batman was a man of facts and logic and I preferred immediate action – but each of us could see the positives in the other's style and had incorporated them into ourselves to some extent.

He believed he had no emotions, but I knew better. He simply diverted his emotions into other outlets, like donning a cape and cowl, spending years learning the art of fighting, and ascertaining the purpose of every technological advance and bending it to his personal and professional uses. He was a warrior – deflecting his skills and emotions into becoming a better, stronger, smarter warrior.

Batman exemplified the word hero because his actions always reflected that of a hero, even if he wasn't always the hero of goodness and light that others wanted him to be. Of course, he was also a brooding, abrasive bastard as well. The man epitomized the word dichotomy – an outrageous, outgoing society flirt and a detached, brilliant analytical mind. What woman could resist the challenge that was inherent within the man?

And I never back down from a challenge.

But for now, I had to focus on Vandal Savage and on getting up off of the floor. I sat up slowly, wondering how long I had been unconscious and what events had followed my free-fall.

"Did I miss anything?"

-VvV-

Even as I was listening to Diana's question, I was reaching into my utility belt for the flask of water that I carried for emergencies. She took several sips while I decided that it was best to give her the information as quickly and bluntly as possible.

"Plenty. Your friend Audrey has moved up the wedding. It's happening right now."

While I had been scoping out the area, waiting for Diana to regain consciousness, I had pulled out my mini-Bat computer and focused on the recent news of Kasnia. It quickly became clear that Princess Audrey intended to move the wedding up for royal continuity purposes – her father was on the brink of death and she still had to assure the Kasnian people of a royal succession and an engagement left too many questions in the minds of people already in unrest.

I knew that the news would greatly displease Diana, who had taken to the Kasnian princess so quickly and I understood her anxiety and anger. Princess Audrey was not about to marry a normal man handpicked by her father – she was about to join in wedlock with some incarnation of Vandal Savage, one of the most evil and ingenious villains that we, the Justice League, had faced.

Before I spoke, Diana had reclining, trying to gather her strength and I could see that she was practically back at full strength. Once I broke the news to her though, she quickly rose to her feet in a jerky motion; obviously angry at what Audrey intended to do.

Her tone harsh, she stated almost calmly – "Like Hades it is." With swift motions, she began to stride away from me and I could tell that she was about to take off and do her best to interfere with Audrey's wedding plans. I knew that I had to at least warn her that her actions were not to be taken lightly, but with some consideration of what she could be getting into.

I modulated the tone of my voice into a louder pitch, deliberately turning it harsh so that Diana would be forced to listen to me.

"You go there uninvited; you'll be breaking International Law."

"If I get my hands on Savage, that's not all I'll be breaking."

She took off into the air, as if the devil himself were on her heels, or in her case, Hades himself. As she made her way through the hole that she had left in the barn ceiling, I heard her voice ask, "You coming?"

I smirked and headed for the Batwing, following the Princess into certain trouble and definite danger. Diana was often a little headstrong and impulsive and she often relied on the other League's members to remind her that caution and vigilance often gained an advantage in battle. This mission, however, time was of the essence and I had known that telling her not to follow Savage would cause her to defy international law and head directly into battle. I knew my teammate well enough to predict her reactions and I also knew that Diana was somewhat embarrassed to have been defeated, even temporarily, by Savage's henchman and she would be intent on coming out ahead this time.

Into the cockpit and into the sky, I followed Diana, although I was again several miles behind her. I noticed on the screen when three additional blips appeared in the immediate vicinity of Diana. Analyzing their patterns, I determined them to be small fighter jets armed with heat seeking missiles.

As I came onto the scene, I could see that Diana had already disarmed two of the three jets, so I sent a laser beam firing towards the third plane. On impact, it split apart, and I could already hear my screen signaling the arrival of three additional jets. One of them fired towards the Batwing and knowing it to be heat-seeking, I made a turn through the sky and run parallel to one of the other jets. Quickly, seeing the missile closing in, I thrust the controls for forward motion, causing the missile to zone in one the plane I had been close to, destroying it in mid-air.

From my vantage point, I could see Diana dealing with the other two planes, just as another five jets appeared in the sky, armed for battle.

-VvV-

Hera! As I watched five additional jets appear in the sky, I drove for tree cover, hoping to distract the pilots and have a better chance of coming out of this skirmish unscathed. With the trees at my back, I would be able to see all angles of attack, knowing that a plane could not attack from the ground. While forming an attack plan, I heard the distinct sound of bullets being fired as a barrage of gunfire echoed in the trees around me. I began to race through the trees, intent on finding better covering, all the while deflecting the ammunition with my bracelets.

I could see the Kasnian castle in the distance and knew that I could reach it if I gained the advantage here, and quickly. I spied a large tree several feet away and reached for it, uprooting it with a mighty tug. Swiftly aiming, I brought the tree around, knocking a faction of the firing soldiers to the ground. Still holding the tree, I was determined my next plan of attack when a rocket hit the tree. The explosion launched me backwards; the force of the hit was tremendous and I was struggling to rise to my feet, feeling battered and bruised, when a series of lasers rained down from the sky, courtesy of the Batman.

As a plan, it worked well, distracting the soldiers so that I could gain my feet and my awareness back. I could see the Batwing take a hit, but I knew better than to suspect that Batman had been injured by the man – the man had a backup contingency plan for everything. I continued to fight and, spying a fallen tree on the ground, rolled it towards another faction of soldiers. The soldiers fell into a muddy creek with a splash and I began my flight towards the castle, intent on reaching Audrey before she wed Vandal Savage.

Face to artillery with a tank, I was forced to make a shift in my immediate plans. I quickly darted to the manhole on the top of the tank and grabbed the man inside, throwing him to the side. I picked up the tank and headed towards the Kasnian castle, willing to make a huge scene in order to halt the nuptials. Heaving the tank, I sent it through a side of the castle wall, right into the room where the marriage ceremony was taking place. I rushed in, determined to make Audrey realize the direness of her actions.

"Audrey, stop! I won't let you marry him!" My tone severe, I hurried to Audrey's side, throwing caution to the wind in my eagerness to stop the proceedings. But, suddenly, I could feel excruciating pain radiating through my body, and, as I collapsed onto the floor, writhing in agony, I could see Savage standing over me with an electrical device just before I lapsed into unconsciousness.

_After this, I plan to use incorporate some of the other episodes into stories as well, particularly those that focus on BMWW or where they're both involved in the storyline. I'm trying to compile a list - any suggestions for episodes that I should do or that you'd like to see? I have a list of them, but particularly seasons 4 and 5, I'm not as sure which feature BM & WW._


	9. Rescue Me

_Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. The chapter title is a Cher song._

_A Girl's Best Friend, Chapter 9, Rescue Me (And Take Me In Your Arms!)_

_Thanks for all of the reviews – for those of you who haven't reviewed, please do! I would like to see what everyone thinks of this story, positive or negative. Suggestions welcome, particularly those of what episodes I should do next – Seasons 3, 4, & 5._

_I was supposed to include this first part in the last chapter and forgot; whoops! Anyway, still in Diana's perspective._

I came to consciousness with my head pounding and my entire body aching. Blinking rapidly, I took a few seconds to get my bearings and try to remember why I was in this state. Ah, yes, Vandal Savage and my attempt to prevent Audrey from marrying him by bursting in to the ceremony complete with a tank as a wedding present. I would understand if Audrey was a little unhappy with my new addition to her home, but I knew that sometimes drastic measures were a necessary part of life.

I tried to move my fingers and found that I was still able to move all the extremities on my body, but unfortunately, I was still captive, bound by a pulsing electrical device strapped to my wrists and ankles. Even after exerting myself for several minutes, struggling against the bonds, I was unable to free myself from this electrical prison. I should have known that Vandal Savage would have some plan for dealing with me if I arrived in Kasnia, but I had been impetuous and unwilling to waste time in my quest to stop Audrey's nuptials. Savage had taken advantage of my carelessness and come out with the upper hand and a royal Kasnian bride as well.

But I had an ace in the hole: I had the legendary Batman.

I glanced around me, trying to quickly see if I could spot him in the shadows when I heard a tapping sound echoing through the prison. I looked up to catch sight of the face of Princess Audrey and prepared myself for her reaction. I could see by the look on her face that she was defiant and angry, still not willing to understand that I was trying to help her out of this situation.

She stared straight into my eyes with ire – "How dare you burst in here and ruin my wedding?"

As if I truly were the person that would ruin this wedding. It would be ruined by her husband and he was preparing to take the world down with her, of that I had no doubt.

"Aren't you even curious as to what Savage is up to? He's dangerous." Audrey was a sensible woman, perhaps I could appeal to her reason and logic, even her curiosity. But to no avail, her indignation was focused squarely on me and my actions.

"Why? Do you think that he might throw a tank through my wall?" The Kasnian Princess had obviously learned the art of sarcasm, but I had to find the words to tell her that she was making an appalling decision, one that would end poorly for all of us if Savage had his way about it.

"Grow up," I told her harshly, hoping that she would listen to me rationally. "He's obviously been using you. He's amassing military and political power."

"For what?"

The foolish child! Sometimes she truly was spoiled, unable to see that not possessed a positive nature, like she believed her Daddy-Dearest did, and that sometimes people are out to gain whatever they can in this world and twist and warp it to their own means. Savage was trying to warp Audrey's feelings for her father and Kasnia in order to hatch a plot. His military power was gaining in leaps and bounds and now the International Space Station was under his control as well. Audrey could not hope to stand up to the man alone, she simply did not have it in her yet to rule and to be a dominating factor in Kasnia's political landscape.

"What do you think?" I snapped at her, furious with her lack of understanding and spoiled nature. I tried to pull myself together, using the regal bearing that my mother had taught me, hoping that a little arrogance would deflate Audrey's ego and make her see the situation for what it was. I demanded of her, "He's got to be stopped!"

She looked at me with a hint of pity in her eyes, seemingly untouched by my outburst.

"You are a raving lunatic. Not that you weren't fun to go clubbing with."

"This isn't a joke, Audrey." How to make her see that the consequences of her actions today were dire and that Savage was not the man she thought him to be? I decided to really push her and make her question her world – "I think Savage is responsible for your father's sudden illness."

She glared at me, and with malice in her eyes, replied, "And I think you've just crossed a line." With one last look, she turned on her heel and began to walk away from me, and I could no longer think of anything to stop her. I had run out of reasonable, logical ideas, even emotions, and I tried for one last appeal.

"Don't walk away, Audrey! You're making a big mistake."

With a haughty air, she continued walking away. Her parting words were: "I can do whatever I please. Surely you've noticed that by now."

-VvV-

After crashing the Batwing into the forest, I had stealthily made my way to the castle, having seen Diana lugging a large tank up to the castle walls. I decided instead to lay in wait and to find out what information I could while determining Diana's location. I heard, while skulking around the castle, that Diana had been taking capture, tortured into unconsciousness by Savage's stun gun.

An hour later, my patience paid off and I heard from one of the castle guards where Diana had been incarcerated. I noticed a weakness in the castle walls – a drainage hole clearly remaining from the days of the castle privy system. It would be a tight squeeze, but I had worse before. I pulled a screwdriver from my utility belt and furtively removed the screws from the grate over the drainage hole, hoping that I wouldn't need to use any of the WD-40 that I carried in my belt. Prying the grate off slowly, I exhaled deeply as the metal structure peeled away almost silently. I placed it on the ground and levered myself into the hole in the wall.

It was a tight squeeze, as I had calculated.

I inched my wall down the drainage tunnel until I came to a small open area with wires dangling down the sides. Reaching the area, I pulled out a handheld video viewer and located the feed that led into the prison and the surrounding areas of the castle. I paused for a few moments when I observed a monitor feed of Diana, struggling valiantly against her bonds to facilitate her own rescue. She looked somewhat tired from her exertions and, when she paused, her head hung limply between her shoulder blades. I heard the sounds of someone approaching Diana's prison cell and determined that I was very close in proximity to her cell.

Keeping one ear on Diana's conversation, the rest of my brain was trying to decipher the quickest and least difficult means of escape. I was working on a plan, but I felt that extra manpower would not be unwelcome. Usually, I was against calling in the League if at all possible, but in this case, Diana's safety was utmost in my mind and I could better protect her with some additional hands. As I heard Audrey walk ahead, I checked the video feed once more while I activated my comm.-link.

As softly as I could manage, I whispered, "Batman to Watchtower."

Immediately, I heard Flash's voice – "Hey. Hope you're having fun. I'm up here watching the paint dry." I distinctly perceived the sound of playing cards being shuffled and focused again on the picture of Diana that I held in my head. The situation was precarious and I knew that she would be in agony in that cell – unable to fight or defend herself; a weakness that Diana was rarely forced to face. I wanted Flash to understand the direness of the situation clearly, so I spoke very formally and forcefully – no one bar myself needed to know that I was worried about Diana.

"Wonder Woman's being held captive. She's too well guarded for me to extract her."

After I spoke, I hoped that Flash would not make any of his smart-aleck comments about Diana, myself, or the situation, and simply focus on the mission. I was not in the mood to hear any of Flash's "cute" remarks. Not that I was ever in the mood, but right now, I was attempting a rescue of the woman I love...No, I refused to even finish that thought. Even if I did possess strong emotions towards Diana, she was in need of saving and a Knight always puts his duties first and his feelings second.

"Need backup?" Flash asked. "I'll grab the 2 Johns/J'onns and we'll…"

Flash voice was interrupted as I heard J'onn in the background asking him to come to the Monitor Womb. Seconds later, I heard Flash again – "What is it? I've got Bats on the other line." At any other time, I would have called him on his use of the nickname, but I had other things to worry about, more important things than a silly Flash-given moniker. Listening through Flash's comm.-link, I could hear Vandal Savage addressing the world, listing his demands, and making his threats of a rail gun. And now all the pieces of the puzzle that I had been searching for fell into place.

"You get all that?" Flash questioned me.

"Most of it, "I answered him. Savage had certainly shifted the main concern of the Justice League, putting Diana and I on the back-burner so that the team could focus on the massive threat of the rail gun and its potentially devastating effects.

"We'll have to fend for ourselves. Taking out that weapon is top priority." I deactivated the comm.-link conversation and again looked at the video feed. It was time to rescue the Princess before bearding the dragon.

-VvV-

Captive in the prison cell, I waited, hoping to plot an escape if I was given enough time and opportunity. I knew that Batman was more than capable of rescuing me, but I didn't want him focusing on me when there were other fish to fry.

The phrase, even in my thoughts, made me miss Flash. Thinking of all the times that he made us laugh with his goofy quips, I almost failed to notice the batarang slice through the air outside my cell. The motion immediately diverted the guards' attention away from me as the batarang exploded after embedding into the far wall. The guards, muttering, immediately left their posts in order to explore the source of the blast, leaving me unprotected for precious seconds and I knew that my rescue was firmly underway and in safe hands. Bat hands, I laughed to myself.

A shadow detached itself from the wall next to my cell and began to pick the lock on the cell door. In a matter of seconds, Batman pushed the door open quietly and headed towards me.

"That won't distract them for long," he acknowledged, pulling a small lance out of his utility belt. Hera, what didn't the man have in that belt? Reaching up, he applied the lance to the bonds on my right arm and almost instantly, I could feel the pressure on my wrist begin to lessen. I began to stretch my arm out while he proceeded to lance off the bond on my other wrist. I looked up to see a guard rushing into my cell, intent on foiling my rescue. I started to raise my arm and noticed Batman ducking out of my reach. Following through, I knocked the guard to the side and tried to break the bonds of my left arm.

I watched, still struggling to remove the bond on my left wrist and my ankles, as Batman rushed a second guard entering the cell, throwing the man, pinning him and a third guard up against the bars of the prison cell across from mine. I observed the guards collapsing and was waiting for Batman to return with the lance when I noticed that he was standing extremely still outside my cell, facing the direction that Audrey had left. A shaft of light split down the floor and I straight away realized that the elevator was heading down the shaft, towards our location and I was utterly useless tied up in bonds. I heard the elevator door open and footsteps fall on the floor outside my cell.

I focused for a moment, gathering my inner strength, and then tried once again to break the bonds that held me captive. I knew that if I could not force my bonds open that I was leaving Batman open to attack and also leaving myself vulnerable, unable to adequately protect myself. I refused to stand idly by while I watched Batman sacrifice himself to save me. I braced myself and flexed my left arm and my legs with all the strength that I could muster, and after a moment, I was free, the bonds hanging loosely on my wrist and on the floor.

I could no longer hear any footsteps, but I could see Batman directly in front of me, slowly backing away from the attack at his front. I rushed out of the cell as gunfire erupted in the hall, propelling myself in front of Batman, shielding him from the hail of bullets with my bracelets. Behind me, I could hear a grapple being discharged and lodging in the ceiling, and then three batarangs were unleashed from the vicinity of the ceiling, knocking the guard unconscious. As they collapsed onto the floor, I noticed Batman descending to the floor again and saw him looking in my direction.

I didn't have to say anything, he could read it all in my eyes – my gratitude, my excitement, and my affection, and, at that moment, reading his face, I could see that his eyes echoed mine. I tucked the knowledge away for a less precarious moment and simply smirked, as if to say – ready for what's next - and as one, we launched ourselves down the hall, a well-oiled team anxious to get to Savage and rescue the world from his machinations.

_For the last part, Diana may not know Savage's exact plan, but she certainly knows that he's up to no good. So she's off to stop him._

_So, what do you think? Good, bad, awful, interesting? I'd like to know!_


	10. House of Fire

Disclaimer: Much as I might want to, I do not own the Justice League, Batman, or Wonder Woman.

For those of you that reviewed for the first time, thank you, thank you! I really appreciate it.

For the repeat reviewers, I hope you all know that I welcome and value your comments – thanks for all the support throughout this story! I don't feel like this is my best chapter, but my opinion is my own!

Chapter title from Alice Cooper.

A Girl's Best Friend, Chapter 10, House of Fire

_Batman's perspective…_

Silently, not wanting to break the spell of the moment, we swiftly entered the elevator and headed for the main floor of the castle. I could almost hear the air humming around us in anticipation of a fight. As the elevator began to move upwards, I began briefing Diana about what I had learned from my conversation with the Watchtower.

"Savage is preparing to destroy us all unless the world gives in to his demands? He's insane! So many innocent lives will be ruined in Savage's reckless pursuit of power. He must be stopped!"

She turned to me and I could see the warrior within her emerging, a woman ready to march into battle to protect the Earth from a madman. Whatever emotions had been between us just moments ago had been suppressed and the glint in her eyes was pure determination and temper. She looked like a woman ready for a confrontation and I was resolved to be at her side defeating Savage.

And there was no doubt in my mind that we would indeed conquer Savage and return peace to Earth. The other members of the Justice League were dealing with the ray gun and the hostages aboard the International Space Station and Diana and I together had countless times in the past proved a formidable team.

We arrived on the main floor of the Kasnian Palace and immediately, we could hear a pounding echoing through the halls followed by a shrill voice demanding her freedom. Apparently we had stumbled upon the current whereabouts of Princess Audrey without much difficulty.

I looked Diana out of the corner of my eye and I could see her doing the same, in total agreement about the next step in our plans for this mission. We needed to rescue Audrey and then proceed to find Savage and put an end to his evil machinations. I scanned the hall outside Audrey's room, but could find no evidence of any guards holding her captive in the room. Continuing down the hall, we stopped by the door securing Audrey – Diana acting as lookout while I swiftly and silently picked the lock to the room. The demands from inside the room had ceased for the moment and after just a moment, the door was free, and Diana softly pushed the knob, obviously surprising the room's only occupant.

"Oh, hi," Audrey stated faintly looking rather quiet and demure, almost downtrodden. Obviously Savage had rid her of her illusions about his good character and positive nature. The realization that she had married an evil dictator bent on world domination had visibly matured and scared Audrey, but our survival depended on her and right now was not the time to baby-sit the princess.

"Audrey, we need your help," Diana declared calmly, looking at Audrey with something akin to pity in her beautiful eyes.

"I can't even help myself. Vandal's usurped my father's throne." She looked at the floor, embarrassed and ashamed at how she had facilitated Savage's takeover of Kasnia and the International Space Station.

Diana looked at Audrey firmly, conviction blazing on her face – "You're the Queen. You have to take command of the situation."

"How?" asked Audrey uncertainly.

I wanted to tell her that perhaps she should use the woman standing in front of her as an example. Diana's inner strength was as palpable and visible as her outer strength and the woman always had the bearing of a queen. Her regal nature often led foes to underestimate her, but the Princess had grit. Passion. She knew what it meant to stand up for what you believe in and she never hesitated to enter a battle – a warrior queen. Diana was Boadicea in the flesh, leading her people to safety amidst danger and despair and never wavering from her post.

It was rare to see Diana less than fully self-confident – on our mission to Gorilla City, after she single-handedly stopped that rocket and risked her own life, she had emerged from the dirt and grime with an air of absolute majesty. She had spoken to the citizens of the city with such strength and commitment, instantly earning their, and my, absolute trust and approval.

That was also the first time Diana had kissed me, albeit on the cheek. When she realized that I had been frantically digging in the dirt to find her, she had looked at me with her stunning blue eyes, her face melting with sweetness, and had leaned over and pecked my cheek. To my absolute horror, I had felt my own face flooding with color and had done my utmost to protect my dignity, hiding my hands and assuming a nonchalant bearing next to the Princess.

Diana was the epitome of self-confidence and Audrey had only to open her eyes to that fact. But now was not the time for discussion, it was the time for action.

"You can start by taking us to the control room."

-VvV-

Just the outside the door of the control room, Batman motioned Audrey and I to stand back and to the side while he dispatching the man guarding the door. Stepping forward, his footsteps barely audible to my ears, he unleashed a bat-bola, knocking the now unconscious guard to the ground.

Audrey, looking directly at Batman and myself, told us that Savage's main lair was inside the door.

In full protective mode, Batman stared threateningly at Audrey. "Stay here," he demanded before stalking off towards the door.

I, however, stayed behind a second to ask Audrey for a favor.

"Can I borrow you earrings?" I inquired. I had noticed that the Kasnian Princess had rather sizeable diamond stones dangling from her ears and had immediately thought of a functional use for them.

She looked at me with a question in her eyes, but straight away began to remove the diamonds from her ear lobes.

"Heck of a time to accessorize," she teased, placing the earrings in my outstretched palm. I looked at her with a smirk on my face – to Audrey the baubles were simply that – decoration – but to me, the earrings represented a means to an end and I meant to end this fight as quickly as possible.

I walked away from Audrey and saw Batman waiting for me outside the door to the control room. I stopped beside him and, lifting my eyes from my feet, I looked over at him with a question in my eyes – you ready?

Although I couldn't see the charming eyes behind the mask, somehow I knew that a twinkle was lighting up the dark brown – a twinkle that matched the spark in mine – the passion for battle and the readiness to work yet again as team. I was shocked to my toes when I felt a gloved hand squeeze mine gently, almost an affirmation of the feelings that previously had only been a glimmer, a sweet kiss on the cheek, a rescue in the dirt, and now a moment stolen between two teammates on a ballroom floor. I still wasn't sure if he knew that I recognized the Batman in Bruce Wayne, but I knew that something in our dynamic was finally changing. That glimmer was growing; developing into a steady glow that we both understood could and would change the friendship between us. I knew that I was willing to change the status quo, but I also knew that right now was not the time to make any decisions about the future or even a relationship. But I tucked the knowledge and the feel of his hand into my heart.

Looking at him, I nodded in readiness and squeezed his hand in return, just for a moment before releasing him and, taking a deep breath, I steeled my shoulders and knocked down the door to the control room. By now we knew the routine of combat – he went low and I went high, blasting through the air. As gunfire erupted around us, I could see Batman out of the corner of my eye using his martial arts skills in order to evade the bullets and make his way to the firing guards. He knocked over one of the guards in a chair and followed with a kick to the next guard, stopping one of the barrages of bullets. Immediately pivoting on his heel, in one swift motion he unleashed a batarang at a third guard, disarming him as well.

Launching myself through the air with my bracelets moving swiftly to deflect the gunfire, I advanced towards the guards, punching one and as two fired at me, I stopped in front of them, punching one before backhanding the other. High on adrenaline, I was looking around the room for my next target when I heard a distinctly scratchy and mechanical voice echoing through the space around me. As Colonel Vox stood, I surreptitiously slipped Audrey's earrings into the inner shell of my ears, protecting the drums from any damage caused by sonic waves and thus eliminating Vox as a threat.

His voice resonated through the room - "Apparently you didn't get the message. Let me make it loud and clear." The sonic waves he emitted from his mouth had increased in size since our previous encounter and I could literally feel the vibrations coursing through my body. I braced myself, feeling the waves pushing me back but, raising my arms in front of my face, I slowly and determinately made my way forward. I heard a slight commotion over to my right side and observed Batman stealing a guard's gun and using it to knock the man unconscious. I felt his eyes on me and immediately, strength surged through my body and I began to step a little further forward each time I moved a foot towards Vox. Upon reaching the Colonel, I grasped him by the voice box surrounding his throat and, with a snap of the fingers, I crushed the mechanism, rendering it useless.

"Not another word," I demanded, punching Vox and watching him fly backwards into the chair he had previously vacated, his head hitting the backboard. As he slumped over, I drew the diamonds from my ears, holding them up to the light before placing them once again in my palm.

"They really are a girl's best friend," I murmured. I quickly turned as I spied Savage racing towards a computer terminal initiating a launch confirmation.

Batman, with his unique brand of humor, hefted a chair and, spying Savage at the computer, said," You're in my way," before hitting him with the piece of furniture. Savage crashed against the computer and Batman rapidly lifted the dictator's body, tossing him off to the side and out of the way. He began furiously typing and I watched in horror as the computer began to count down from 6, preparing to initiate the rail gun.

As I gained Batman's side, I could hear J'onn's voice through the communicator in Batman's ear –

"Batman, we couldn't prevent the rail gun from discharging."

"Me neither. But I did manage to change the targeting coordinates."

I looked at him questioningly. "Where did you send it?"

With a lift to his mouth, he looked directly at me and answered my question – "Right here."

Hurling a batarang into the computer screen, he raced over to the emergency sound system, breaking the glass and without delay, ordering a complete evacuation. After I grasped two of the guards, we began racing out of the control room. Just outside the door, he seized Audrey's hand and dashed away with her in tow. Fleeing in the air just behind them, I carried the two guards over my shoulders towards the nearest exit, praying to the gods that we would all make it out in time and safely.

As the seconds ticked away, I began to see a dazzling light shooting through the sky towards our location and immediately picked up my speed. In moments, the asteroid exploded, crashing into the Kasnian castle at an amazing velocity. Just in front of me, I saw Bruce pull Audrey into a large ditch just on the outskirts of the castle grounds. The ditch was littered with the fleeing Kasnian soldiers, but there was more than enough space for everyone to safely find cover from the blast. Bruce caught Audrey in his arms, swiftly putting her feet on the ground and pressing her to the dirt wall of the ditch. His chest to her back, he shielded her with his own body and his cape from the debris the explosion had littered the air and grounds with. I jumped down behind them, pressed my chest to Bruce's back as rubble began to fall in earnest all around us.

_That's it for now! Any predictions as to what will be next? I know…wink…care to take a guess?_


	11. Listen To Your Heart

_Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. _

_Thanks for the support and the reviews! One more chapter after this, maybe two...So if you're reading, review!_

_By the way, if anyone wants to beta any of my future chapters/work, let me know. I'm pretty anal retentive about grammar and spelling (it's the English major in me) so hopefully it wouldn't be too much Girl's Best Friend, Chapter 11, Listen to Your Heart, Roxette_

_Batman's perspective again…_

In the landscape in front of us, I could see the former Kasnian castle was now only a towering inferno, decimated by the asteroid. Snuggled into my back was Diana, Princess of the Amazons and nestled in my front was Princess Audrey of Kasnia. To most men that would be a dream come true, but right now, I knew that I only wanted one of the princesses and unfortunately, now was not the time to indulge myself in a world of fantasy and emotion. Now was the time to pick up the broken pieces of a nation and much as I yearned for a relationship with Diana, I knew that it was impossible. I barely had enough time now to be both Bruce Wayne and Batman and pulling another me, Diana's boyfriend, was too much to even contemplate. Besides, a relationship amongst teammates was a foolish idea that could only lead to trouble and heartache. With a heavy heart, I put aside the dream and forced my mind to come to focus on the immediate situation – it was what was important, it was…

Suddenly, I felt a warm breath cruising across my ear and immediately stiffened, praying that Audrey wouldn't notice my involuntary reaction. The rumbling from the hillside had stopped and the time to protective Princess Audrey had passed. I could safely disengage myself from the current situation and held to the castle to assess the damage. And be at a safe distance from Diana and the fantasies she evoked.

Again, I experienced a gust of air, but this time it was followed by the slow slide of a tongue up the length of my jaw just above the neck of my Bat-suit. I shuddered and immediately pushed away from Audrey, causing Diana to stumble backwards but maintain her footing.

"Time to move, ladies," I stated firmly, refusing to look Diana in the eye and without delay, I stalked brusquely up to the ruins of the Kasnian castles, hoping against, but knowing, that my cheeks were stained with red after yet another encounter with Diana. Although this encounter had been of the much bolder variety than the last in Gorilla City and I wondered how to tell my teammate that I was not prepared for a relationship or looking for one.

I was more of a worship from afar and pine in secret kind of guy. The heart of the Bat was a closed one and it needed to remain that way in order to secure the mission – didn't it?

Did my lifestyle preclude me from having the other things that normal men enjoyed? Others on the team had enjoyed relationships with success – Kent – but I also knew that Diana and I had many barriers between us that couldn't be overlooked. Still, we _did_ make a great team at work and perhaps we would make a great team outside work as well? It was certainly a logical argument and one I would have to explore in greater depths at another time and place.

-VvV-

I still could not believe my boldness! I had taken a dire situation and somehow managed to turn it into a romantic type interlude. Never before had I felt such an emotion of relief course through me – I was alive and safe and we had managed to save not only the world, but Kasnia, and regain Princess Audrey her throne. Hera be praised, victory was ours!

And snuggled into the warm back of the dichotomous duo of Batman and Bruce Wayne, the man I loved, had simply been more than I was able to either fathom or handle with my usual dignity. The warmth was intoxicating and I remembered Hawkgirl telling me once that the jaw line of a man was an erogenous zone. Having never heard the team, I had immediately questioned what she had meant and my teammate had explained that many men found the jaw to be especially sensitive to sexual stimulation. The thought at the time had somewhat interested and intrigued me and I had tucked the knowledge into the back regions of my brain, positive that the information would not come in handy anytime soon. But apparently the sight of a certain Bat's profile had brought the knowledge surging to the forefront and I had acted without thinking and without considering the ramifications of my actions.

But I remembered when our eyes had met on a dance floor and I remembered the emotions coursing through us after he had rescued me from the Kasnian prison cell. Perhaps my bold maneuver would bring a relationship between us to fruition. If nothing else, it got the man thinking, hopefully about the possibility of becoming something more than teammates. The possibility that he would completely shun my presence in future endeavors due to my action did not even bear reflecting on – I simply refused to even allow the idea to enter my consciousness.

Instead, I put on a smile and turned to Audrey, motion to her with my hands to follow me to the wreckage of her home.

As we approached the ruins, I looked around, taking stock of the situation.

"You've got a great deal of rebuilding to do," I told Audrey. There was nothing left standing but a few crumbling and charred walls, and stones were littered around the entire area. The damage that the asteroid was wreaked was truly awesome, completely decimating the castle, the structure that had signified the power and history of Kasnia.

Audrey looked at me seriously, but I could see a twinkle in her eye. She was already beginning to recover from the effects of Savage and from the loss of her father. She was truly becoming a Queen, the leader of her people in and out of crisis.

"I never liked the palace anyway," she said with a teasing note to her voice," Drafty. But maybe this is a chance for me and Kasnia to make a new start."

Suddenly, a forceful roar split the silence, and the mangled body of Vandal Savage began to emerge from the ruins, pushing aside stone and mortar and rising to his feet just yards away from where Audrey and I were standing. Broken and battered, with an agonizing bellow, he immediately began to heal, right in front of our eyes. Shattered bones and dangling appendages started reforming and the creature became a man again, dirty and disheveled, but still Vandal Savage.

I looked at Audrey in shock, whispering the first thing that came to my mind –

"You sure can pick 'em."

As Savage stood there, smiling at us with menace, I could see Batman running towards us out of the corner of my eye, but Audrey immediately stepped up and took control of the situation.

"Seize that thing!"

-VvV-

The guards took hold of Savage just as I reached the two princesses. I had been gauging the damage done to the former courtyard area and had taken flight as soon as the screams had echoed their way across the land. Very little surprised me at this date in my crime fighting career, but seeing the mangled body of Savage rising from the rubble of an asteroid blast and instantaneously begin the healing process would be burned into my brain for some time to come. But I also filed the information away that the man was immortal and very little would be able to actually stop him or his evil plans. We would have to keep constant surveillance of the man, but the Princess Audrey would have that duty for now.

She walked over to the man she had married and looked him squarely in the face without any sign of fear or revulsion, just fury.

"I don't know how you survived, but I promise you that you'll play for your crimes in full."

"Do your worst, child. I'm immortal. I can't be killed."

"We'll see."

I honestly wasn't sure whether to applaud her attitude, but I knew that Diana would approve of the princess' reaction. She believed that criminals should pay for their crimes, sometimes in blood, and while I did not believe that death equaled reform, I knew that in Savage's case, death might be the only answer.

And the only answer that we might never find. But I shook these thoughts free of my head, watching as Audrey and the guards led Vandal Savage forcibly away. Somehow I knew that the world hadn't seen the last of the mastermind known as Vandal Savage.

Lost in contemplation, I failed to realize that I was again in close proximity to Diana and I had yet to come to some sort of conclusion about the status of our relationship and exactly what I wanted that relationship to be. In other words, I was a sitting duck and I soon learned that Diana had extraordinary aim.

She gave me a sideways look; her face lit up with a teasing smile, and mischievously put her hands on her hips. She was the embodiment of the teasing female, sights firmly set on her prey.

As I said before, I was a sitting duck. And unfortunately, my brain had yet to find a logical manner in which to deal with a sexy, teasing Diana, hair blowing in the breeze, a twinkle in her eyes…

"You know, we never did get to finish our dance," she said with an impish lilt to her voice.

Our…? And suddenly, I remembered a Parisian dance floor, Bruce Wayne twirling a lovely princess across the floor in a waltz. I stood, shell-shocked and stunned into total speechlessness for the first time in my life. Diana had figured out my secret identity. She had discovered the information completely on her own, something that no one else had ever been able to do, at least to my knowledge. And my knowledge was extensive.

But maybe she was guessing, a strategy that countless others had employed, although usually only in their own thoughts. Few were brave enough to approach me about my everyday identify and to my own recollection, Diana was the first to tease me with it.

I looked at her stoically, perfectly pokerfaced, and barely moving my lips, told her, "I don't know _what _you're talking about."

The woman had the audacity to just continue smiling, even letting the grin grow a little wider, as if she could see right through the cowl. At a later interval, I would have to surreptitiously determine whether or not Amazons also possessed X-Ray vision. But for now, I refused to let that smile break my silence, even if my knees were knocking inside my suit at the thought of this woman knowing my most intimate secret.

With the most light-hearted smile I had ever seen emanating from Diana, she looked straight at me.

"If you say so. But you're still taking me dancing." She put her hand in the crook my arm and began to lead me away from the ruins, off towards the green pastures, the sight reminding me that even alongside despair there was hope and peace.

My knees were beginning to crumble and I knew it was only moments until I begged Diana to be my princess, to fill the darkness in my heart, and to stay by my side. Apparently, my mind had made its decision without me even realizing it. My knees steadied and I stopped, mid-motion, and turned as Diana continued walking for a step or two.

"Diana…"

She looked at me with a question in her blue eyes, but the smile that lingered on her classical features provided me with the momentum to push forward, to knowingly push myself into pursuit of a relationship with this amazing woman. Because she was just that - an amazing woman with a heart full of compassionate, a loving, lighthearted spirit, and a smile that would remain in my mind until my deathbed.

How could any man turn away from a woman such as this? My weakness was Diana and perhaps, while I strove to bring light to Gotham and the world, she could bring light to me, chase away the shadows and the memories that haunted me.

I took one step forward and stopped again, fear of rejection bringing a knot to my throat and binding my movements. I raised my eyes to hers and let everything I was feeling fill my eyes – the fear, the love, and everything that was in me. She took a step forwards, meeting me halfway and raising her hands to my face. Caressing my jaw, she ran her fingers up my face and slowly pushed back the cowl, exposing my face to the few rays of sunlight present that day.

_Cliffhanger, I know, but I couldn't help it! Too many things I need to put in the story and not enough time right now! Hate it, love it - tell me!_


	12. And We Danced

_Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. _

_Dedicated to: Everyone who has stuck by me through this story, ballooning my ego with reviews, and those who have given me support. I really do appreciate it._

_A side note to reviewer korovan: According to something I had read by Bruce Timm, he said that Diana was the first on the team to figure out Batman's identity on her own (Superman had cheated, using his X-ray vision.) As to the others, I'm staying firmly within the JL world, especially since I haven't watched much of the animated Batman for awhile._

_A Girl's Best Friend, Chapter 12, And We Danced, by The Hooters_

_Diana's perspective…_

I heard Batman speak my name and I stopped, turning towards him, and I was amazed at the sight before me. This proud, arrogant man had eyes shadowed with fear, but I could also see the love shining through, lighting his dark eyes. I stepped towards him, and slowly raised my hands to his face, smoothing my fingers and palms up his jaw line where I hesitated for a second before finally taking the plunge. I slid my fingers under his cowl and gradually pushed it back; removing the only barrier between me and the face of the man I love.

And the face of Bruce Wayne was revealed to me.

I let out a breathless sigh and let my smile soften, staring at the face of love. I ran my hands over his face, gently caressing the jaw line, forehead, even delicately closing his eyes with the tips of my fingers. I memorized his face with my hands, confirming the truth of this man to my eyes and to my sensitive touch. After one more sweep of his face, I replaced the cowl, knowing Bruce's discomfort with emotions and public displays of any kind. That was why he so often refused the credit that came with being a member of the Justice League – he preferred to remain anonymous in all quarters.

I left my fingers on his cheeks though and looked at him tenderly.

"I just wanted to see the real you again," I told him quietly.

"The playboy," he rasped harshly.

"No, Bruce, the noble man who would risk himself every night to bring hope to this world. The man I have respected as a teammate and almost a partner for months. The man whose intelligence and determination have been the drive behind the team since its inception, another feat you accomplished. You are so much more than a caped crusader or a playboy. You're a hero. And I'm proud to be here in this moment, right now, with you."

He had kept his eyes closed during my words, but at the last, he opened them again, closing the distance between us by inches and putting his hands over mine on his face.

"Diana," he said hesitantly, the first time I have ever known him to do so. "I'm not…very good…at this type of thing," he finished banally.

I just looked at him, my eyes filled with humor. "I can't say I've had much experience with it either," I told him, "but I'm willing to give it a try if you are."

He smiled faintly, but the expression did not seem to lighten up the worry lines on his face.

"You realize that this would change things," he said, not meeting my gaze, "not only between us, but between the team. The dynamics would be different and things could never go back to the way they were."

I stood still for a minute, turning the truth of Bruce's words over in my mind. It was true. Once the information that there was more than just friendship between Bruce and I made its way into the team, everything would change. I was still fairly new to this superhero business and I was unsure if I wanted the constant attention and surveillance that would come with being part of a relationship within the team. John still referred to me occasionally as the "rookie with the tiara" and the pressure to perform at a consistently high rate was a constant pressure.

But, on the other hand, I knew that I wanted a relationship with Bruce and now, knowing that he returned feelings for me as well, I could not back away from what we had already started here, both in Paris and on a Kasnian hilltop.

"Bruce, I want to be with you, I do know that with absolute certainty. But…"

-VvV-

As soon as I heard her utter that word, I immediately tried to step back, both physically and mentally, shielding myself from the inevitable pain that I knew was coming. Of course she didn't really want to be with me, once she realized that I was a creature of the shadows, a figment of nightmares. She would slowly pull back, away from me, and find someone else who could give her the light, an equal in optimism and good faith. And I would continue to live in the darkness, watching her.

She hesitated with her words for a moment, but Diana refused to let me step back. Instead, she dropped her hands, looking at me solemnly and with a little bit of insecurity lurking in her eyes. I braced myself as she began to open her mouth, still certain that she intended to break off whatever was between us before it even had a chance to flourish. And I would take it. But the words that I heard were not what I expected.

"But what if we didn't tell everyone else on the team about us?"

A secret relationship? An interesting concept and one that I had never entertained in my mind. Diana was usually a truthful soul and I was a bit surprised that she was putting forth this idea.

Disliking going into something blind, I asked her, "Why would you be willing to keep…us…a secret?"

She seemed pleased simply by the fact that I had not dismissed the idea out of hand, looking me in the eye and logically listing her reasons for a clandestine relationship.

"Bruce, I'm still considered a rookie on the team, with everyone checking over their shoulders to make sure that the princess is still holding her own. Trying to balance a relationship with a senior member of the team…"

I coughed a little at that, looking at her with a smirk to my mouth, "Diana, I don't even have full-time member status. How could I be considered a senior member?"

Her expression tinged with disbelief and exasperation, she retorted, "That's not true and you know it. Although you'd be the last to admit it. You're the leader that we all respect, the general leading us into battle and the detective solving everything with his mind and determination. _You_ are _the_ senior member."

She paused for a moment, allowing time for her words to sink into my brain, clouded with emotions.

"I do not want the added pressure of the entire team staring at us, dissecting our actions and reactions simply because we are together. Everything that we do will be fodder for the team to gossip about, particularly Flash. If we have a disagreement, if we're spending too much time together, where I'm spending my nights or where you're spending yours."

She paused again, then giving me an impish grin, deadly at this close range to my heart, and added, "And I know you're not much for the spotlight."

I began to pace back and forth in small, measured steps. What she was saying made good sense and I appreciated her logical approach to the situation as well are her concern for me and for our relationship. When explained in this manner, having a secret relationship was a good judgment on our part, allowing me to just be the Batman on the team, the unofficial member, and allowing Diana freedom of action, keeping the team off of her back and permitting her to continue defining herself within the team as Wonder Woman and not as a part of the Batman-Diana combo team.

The beginning stages of a relationship were always difficult and it would be nearly impossible for the two of us to truly define ourselves away from the team. We would be falling in love under a microscope, a prospect that made me itchy under the cowl just thinking about it. I demanded privacy for my actions and I respected Diana's need for privacy within the confines of the two of us. But I had to make sure that she understood the burden of exactly what she was getting in to, with me and with a relationship. I stopped dead in my tracks and looked at her with an uncompromising expression.

"You won't be able to see me out in public either," I told her harshly, "My life as Bruce Wayne would have to be completely separate from that of the Princess of Themyscira. No dinner dates, no society functions, no public outings of any kind where we could be portrayed as a couple. Paris was a one-shot."

She nodded solemnly, "It would just be us. I understand that and I still believe that this is the best way for the two of us to be together in this capacity."

I considered everything she had mentioned and ran it all through my head, looking for potential pitfalls and difficulties. The hardest part of the entire endeavor would be to keep it secret, but I knew that once we both agreed to it, both Diana and I would keep to our agreement of how to handle our relationship. And this seemed a viable compromise for the both of us, enabling me to keep my privacy and Diana to define her own role in the team, separate from me. The prospect of a secret relationship was complicated, of course, but I thrived on problem-solving and complications. And I thrived on the potential of being with Diana. Besides, I was never one for full disclosure anyway.

"Diana," I whispered softly, walking over to her and taking both of her hands in mine, "I accept."

Her expression said it all – filling with overwhelming joy as she smiled at me, lighting her face up brighter than I had ever seen before. She looked…happy.

And somewhere, deep inside the suit, I could feel my heart swell and began beating rapidly, stunned at the sight that my words had evoked within Diana. She seemed almost effervescent and now, she was mine. The idea of being responsible for all this joy seemed daunting and I knew that we had a long road ahead of us, but I also knew that right now, I too, was happy. A seldom felt emotion, but one I recognized nonetheless, and at that moment, I embraced it.

Eyes shining, Diana slowly raised her eyes to mine, and the sparkle in them was so bright it almost blinded me.

"Bruce," she said murmured, and the smile on her face softened as she tenderly ran her hands again over my face before linking them behind my neck.

I looked at this creature of light and joy and put my arms around her waist, pulling her in closer until she fit against my length, melding perfectly into my side. And suddenly, my neurons began to fire once again and my brain lit up with a brilliant idea and a great way to start off our relationship.

"Diana," I whispered softly, waiting until she raised her head from the crook of my neck before continuing and thinking back to where the magic between us had started – on a Parisian dance floor. "May I have this dance?"

_Stay tuned for the continuing saga of Bruce and Diana's secret relationship! I believe I'll do the episode "Hearts and Minds" next, even though they're not in it. It's the next episode and we could see the early stages of the relationship. Agreed? _


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